How To Cancel Credit Cards After a Death?

Losing someone you love is very hard. But it’s important to Cancel Credit Cards After a Death. This protects their information and stops unauthorized use of the cards.

The main steps are calling the credit card companies, paying any balances, stopping autopay bills, and destroying the physical cards. I’ll explain how to do this soon.

When my grandma died, my mom canceled her cards. It was sad but we felt better knowing her accounts were closed. Canceling cards is important to do when someone dies to keep their finances secure.

Let’s go over the steps for canceling someone’s credit card:

Determine Who Else is on the Account.

Before canceling a card, you need to know if anyone else was on the account besides the deceased person. There are two options:

	Joint Account Holder	Authorized User
Responsibility	Shared account and debt equally with the deceased	Given the use of the card but not being responsible for the debt
Action Needed	Notify another holder that the account is being canceled	The primary holder can fully cancel the account

When my grandma passed away, we had to check if she had any joint account holders or just authorized users on her credit cards.

For her Visa card, my grandpa was a joint account holder. My mom notified him that she would be removing my grandma’s name and canceling the card.

For her Mastercard, my aunt was an authorized user. Since my grandma was the primary account holder, my mom was able to completely close this account.

Checking who else is on the card account is an important first step before canceling any cards of someone who has passed away.

Pay Any Remaining Balance

Paying Remaining Balances on a Deceased’s Credit Card

If there is a balance left on the card when someone passes away, here’s what you need to know:

• The remaining balance must go through probate. This is the court process to handle the estate.
• During probate, creditors like credit card companies make claims on the estate for unpaid debts.
• If there is enough money in the estate, the claims will be paid out. If not, the creditor may only get partially repaid.
• Surviving family is NOT responsible for paying the balance unless they were on a joint account.

When my grandmother passed away, she had a $1,000 balance on her credit card. My mother did not pay for this herself. The credit card company put in a claim during probate. There wasn’t enough money to fully repay the $1,000, but the company accepted the partial estate payment.

Canceling Any Automatic Payments

Closing a credit card account does not automatically stop recurring payments charged to that card. You have to cancel those separately.

Look for any bills, subscriptions, or other payments that were set up with automatic charges to the card each month. These could include:

• Utility bills (electricity, water, cable, phone)
• Music or video streaming services
• Gym memberships
• Newspaper or magazine subscriptions
• Charity Donations
• Insurance payments

Go through the deceased’s files, statements, and emails to make a list of any companies with automatic payments on the card. Then contact each one to cancel the recurring charges. This step is very important to avoid unwanted charges after the account is closed.

Notify the Credit Card Company

An important step is contacting the issuer to notify them of the account holder’s passing. Here are some tips:

• Call the number on the back of the card and ask for the “Estate Department” or “Deceased Account Services.” Use terminology like “the account holder has passed away.”
• Have the original death certificate and any probate court documents related to the estate ready. The company may legally request certified copies of these documents under the Fair Credit Reporting Act before releasing account information or closing the account.
• For joint accounts, request to have the deceased formally removed. This requires their name to be taken off the account through the issuer’s procedures. For other accounts, request to close the account immediately.
• Note the date and time you notified them and who you spoke with for records. Follow up if you don’t receive written confirmation within 2 weeks.

When my mom called about my grandmother’s account, she had the death certificate handy. The rep was very helpful but needed a copy of the certificate first under the FCRA before proceeding with closure.

Destroy the Physical Card

Once the account is officially closed, it is advisable to destroy any physical cards to prevent potential fraudulent use:

• Cutting the card into pieces invalidates the magnetic stripe and EMV chip according to credit card network rules. This prevents the processing of transactions.
• Shred or cut up the primary account holder’s card along with any authorized user cards. Discard the pieces securely.
• Legally, the use of a deceased person’s credit card could constitute fraud or identity theft under various federal and state laws. Destroying the cards protects against this.

My mother properly cut up and discarded my grandmother’s cards. With the accounts closed and cards invalidated, we avoided legal risks and had confidence her accounts were secure.

Closing Thoughts

Canceling a loved one’s credit cards after they pass away is important. Here are some key steps:

• Notify the credit card companies to close the accounts
• Pay any outstanding balances through probate
• Cancel recurring automatic payments
• Destroy the physical cards

Acting quickly prevents issues like fraud, identity theft, and unnecessary fees or interest. Protect your loved one by closing accounts right away.

When my grandmother died, my mom took care of her cards properly. It gave us comfort during a difficult time to secure her accounts and finances. I learned how to safely handle credit cards when someone passes away.

Though saying goodbye to someone you care about is very hard, taking these steps helps protect their identity and wrap up their financial matters responsibly. It is one less thing to worry about as you grieve and process your loss.