When someone dies, their bills and recurring payments usually do not stop automatically, and someone must actively review, stabilize, and cancel them to prevent problems.
Automatic payments continue until someone actively cancels them or the payment source fails. Banks usually freeze accounts once notified, but some charges still process. Legitimate debts belong to the estate, not individual family members, unless they co-signed or jointly held the account.
Unmanaged autopay can quietly drain accounts, cause insurance lapses, or create legal problems for the executor. On the other hand, canceling the wrong bill too fast (like property insurance or utilities) can expose the estate to loss, damage, or foreclosure risk.
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