When it comes to death, you might be concerned with how your debts are going to affect your remaining family members. Home loans cost thousands of dollars. So what will happen to your mortgage after you die?
Have you ever wondered about this?
And how can you make it easier for your loved ones?
Well, we have good news for you. You can make things easier for the people you love. Your heirs are not responsible for any loan that they have nothing to do with. If you want, you can also try to plan ahead of time to keep your family in the home.
So what happens to your debt when you die?
When a borrower dies, there are quite a few changes. However, it’s not as much as you thought it would be. The loan is still there and needs to be paid in full. When it comes to housing debt, the stakes are quite high since family members may want to live in the house or still have some attachments left. The survivors can handle mortgage payments in a few ways.
Let’s check them one by one.
Keep making payments
Let’s say that you are sick and dying. It is essential that you should make any arrangements for your monthly payments. In doing so, you prevent the lender from applying penalty fees or starting a foreclosure. Your spouse or executor or anybody can make the payments to settle the estate assuming you have funds available.
Married couples
When it comes to married couples, the surviving spouse usually takes over the responsibility of the loan and the homeownership especially if both own the house.
Passing the home to relatives
Real estate is unique. The lenders should allow family members also to take over the mortgage when they inherit the property under federal law. This will prevent any lender from demanding any payment on a due-on-sale clause when the home ownership is transferred to the heirs. Not only that but heirs don’t have to prove that they can pay the loan before they take over the mortgage.
Co-signers
Check if anyone co-signed for the loan. As such, the individual will be liable in paying off the debt. This is still the case whether they have an ownership interest, or live in a home. Co-signers who don’t own the property are the ones who are at risk if you die with a lot of mortgage debt.
Refinancing and Re-paying
After you die, your heirs are not required to keep any mortgage in place. They can do a cash out refinance Arlington if there is a better loan or use the money to pay off all of the debt. If, after your death, you still have some assets to your estate, your executor can pay off the loans so the heirs can take the home clear and free.
Selling the House
Well, if the heirs don’t want the property or can’t afford the payments, they can always opt to sell the house.