Go to an attorney and pay $100 to sit down for an hour and find out whats what. If your husband had no will, then the attorney will help you figure you figure out his net worth at death. If that amount is around $50k or less, the attorney will write a letter to a local court and the judge will rule this does not need to go to state probate and then give you complete control of assets. With that comes the responsibility for you to set up an estate account at a local bank and put in enough money to pay his debts, if any. The account has your name on it as well as the estate name. After about one year you can close the account and keep the balance. As for rent, utility bills, etc., those are your responsibility. You also need to visit the local social security office. Right now go have the funeral home get you two or three originals of the death certificate. Both the attorney and the social security office need them.
The only way payments on a house would be made is if he had that kind of insurance and planned ahead. They never pay for rent though.
I'm sure you took the matter of his death to an attorney so his estate could be probated, didn't you? Well if not then go there now and get all your questions answered.
Next, you also ask about bills being paid. It depends on how your credit cards and bank accounts are listed, if they're in both names as "or" then you can still use them, but if they are listed as "and" then the accounts will be closed to you. Ask your attorney. Get one that specializes in elder law.
Rent is no longer his bill.
The estate will pay any debts (such as bills, mortgage etc), but you're now responsible for ongoing costs such as rent and new bills.
If your name is on the lease you are responsible to pay the rent now, you may need to see the manager about your situation and renew the rent agreement being he is no longer there. Sorry for your loss, and a lot of changing and managing budget is now up to you, if you need help look for a community that can help you.
Sorry for your loss. I am, however, wondering what your bank has to do with your husbands estate. Normally, all accounts would have you as beneficiary and since his death you would be sole owner of the accounts----not the bank. So whose name was the beneficiary on this account?? How about other things like cars etc?
Only if he lived there alone. If you continue to reside in the apartment, the cost of the apartment falls on you, not the estate. Your husband is no longer incurring any bills.
the dead are never considered tenants.
