What can debt collectors legally do after a borrower dies?

Creditors often retain the right to pursue repayment after a borrower's death, but their collection options are limited. SRT101/Getty Images The death of a loved one often comes with an overwhelming list of financial and legal responsibilities. Alongside funeral arrangements, probate filings and sorting through financial records, surviving family members may also begin receiving notices about their loved one's unpaid credit cards, personal loans, medical debts or other balances. Those communications can be confusing, though, particularly for relatives who aren't sure whether they're personally responsible for paying what was left behind. At the same time, borrowers continue to carry historically high debt balances , making it increasingly common for an estate to be left with issues pertaining to outstanding credit cards, personal loans, medical bills and other financial obligations. As a result, the debt collection process doesn't necessarily stop when a borrower dies. Rather, it shifts into a different legal process with its own set of rules governing what debt collectors can and cannot do. That shift into a new set of collection rules is important to note. After all, while debt collectors often retain the right to pursue repayment after a borrower's death, their options at that point are limited. So what can debt collectors really do under the law if a borrower dies with unpaid balances? That's what we'll examine below. …