Your mother passes away, and a few days later, you realize her electric bill is due, the refrigerator needs groceries, and funeral expenses are piling up. You have her debit card, you know the PIN, and you’ve been helping manage her finances for years. Using the card to cover a few expenses might seem harmless, especially when the money is still sitting in her bank account.
However, using a deceased parent’s debit card can create serious financial and legal complications, even when your intentions are good. The problem is that permission to access someone’s money while they’re alive doesn’t necessarily continue after death. Banks, estate laws, and federal benefit programs have specific rules governing what happens to a person’s finances when they die. Before withdrawing money or paying another bill with a deceased parent’s card, here’s what families need to understand.
