Like I’ve said, I do not know this stuff. A Google search says:

You do not automatically inherit your grandparent’s debt in any U.S. state, including New York. Debts are the responsibility of the deceased person’s estate, not the heirs. However, you may become personally liable in any state if you co-signed a loan, jointly held accounts with the right of survivorship, or acted as a legal guarantor. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

While there are no states where grandchildren specifically inherit general debt, over 20 states have historical “filial responsibility” laws that can legally require adult children to pay for the unpaid medical or elder care expenses of their indigent parents. [6, 7, 8]

How Care-Related Debt Could Impact You

• Filial Responsibility States: In states where these laws are still active (like Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New Jersey), healthcare facilities have occasionally attempted to sue adult children for their parents’ nursing home bills. These laws almost exclusively apply to a child’s obligation to their parents, not grandchildren to their grandparents.
• New York Specifics: In New York, filial responsibility laws (New York Social Services Law § 101) technically require children to support impoverished parents, but it is rarely enforced by creditors.
• Estate Claims: Even if you do not inherit the debt, any money or property your grandparent leaves you will go toward paying off their creditors (via probate) before you receive your inheritance. [4, 8, 9, 10, 11]

If you are dealing with debt collection for a deceased relative, you can review your rights in the FTC Consumer Advice on Debts and Deceased Relatives and use the

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

to report unlawful or abusive collection practices.

AI responses may include mistakes.

[1] https://www.metlife.com/stories/legal/can-you-inherit-debt/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6zwsytrEddc

[3] https://www.viewridgelaw.com/2025/10/will-i-inherit-my-parents-debt/

[4] https://vicklaw.org/can-i-inherit-the-debt-of-a-loved-one/

[5] https://www.debt.org/advice/deceased-relatives/

[6] https://www.nationaldebtrelief.com/blog/financial-wellness/family-finances/can-you-inherit-debt-what-you-need-to-know-about-your-parents-debt-and-inherited-liabilities/

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filial_responsibility_laws

[8] https://trustandwill.com/learn/filial-responsibility-law

[9] https://www.carolinafep.com/library/what-happens-to-debt-when-a-person-dies-.cfm

[10] https://www.ncsl.org/resources/map-monday-states-spell-out-when-adult-children-have-a-duty-to-care-for-parents

[11] https://cielitolindoseniorliving.com/filial-laws-in-the-21st-century-balancing-family-care-and-financial-burdens/

Spousal debt: Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Other debts: About 30 states have archaic, rarely enforced laws that can make adult children legally responsible for their parents’ unpaid necessities, like medical or nursing home bills.

IANAL and this is a summary from Google, so I cannot vouch for the accuracy of any of it. I can just tell you that in my experience, NY does not pass on debt to spouses.

Pretty sure it depends on the state. In NY, my mom’s credit card debt disappeared when she died. I do not think that’s the same in other states. I assume it usually transfers to the spouse.