Death and Debt Survey: 55% Expect to Pass Their Debt to Loved Ones

What makes you more uncomfortable – thinking about your death or leaving your family in debt?

Debt.com’s latest survey of 1,000 Americans shows that more than half expect to pass on debt to their loved ones when they die. For many, it’s tens of thousands of dollars.

How much debt do they think their loved ones will inherit:

• 0-$2,500: 12%
• $2,501-$5,000: 15%
• $5,001-$10,000: 25%
• $10,001-$20,000: 24%
• $20,001-$30,000: 16%
• $30,001+: 9%

More than 60% say they “know what happens to someone’s debt when they die.” It’s unclear what debt types respondents plan to leave behind.

Most unsecured debts – like credit cards – don’t get passed down to loved ones. The debt will die with you unless they’re an authorized user or cosigner on the loan. Learn more on Debt.com’s guide: What Happens to Your Debt When You Die?

“Most Americans don’t know which debts they inherit and which they don’t,” says Debt.com president Don Silvestri. “The topic isn’t confusing; it’s just uncomfortable. So many of us avoid it entirely.”

Roughly 3 in 4 respondents get uncomfortable thinking about death – and that discomfort stops them from planning for the inevitable.

How many Americans expect to die with debt?

How much debt does the average American expect to leave behind when they die?

Do you get uncomfortable thinking about death?

Which generation most likely feels they’ll leave debt to their loved ones?

Click here for full survey results

Do you expect to pass on debt to your loved ones when you die?
Yes	55.42%
No	44.58%

How much debt will your loved ones inherit when you die?
0-$2,500	11.58%
$2,501-$5,000	15.27%
$5,001-$10,000	24.50%
$10,001-$20,000	23.83%
$20,001-$30,000	15.77%
$30,001+	9.06%

Do you get uncomfortable thinking about death?
Yes	73.72%
No	26.28%

Does that discomfort stop you from planning for your death?
Yes	75.74%
No	24.26%

Have you written a will?
No, I don’t have time	11.23%
No, I’m too young	15.71%
No, I don’t have many assets	18.81%
No, thinking about my death is stressful	13.61%
Yes, I’ve written a will	40.64%

Do you currently have life insurance?
Yes, I have final expense insurance	33.24%
Yes, I have a term policy to cover my household income contributions if I die	17.52%
Yes, a universal life insurance policy	11.27%
Yes, I have a whole life insurance policy	13.73%
No, I don’t have any kind of life insurance policy	24.24%

Would you take on debt for a family member’s funeral?
Yes	69.77%
No	30.23%

If yes, how much debt would you be willing to take on?
None	2.10%
Less than $500	7.34%
$501-$1,000	14.15%
$1,001-$2,000	17.82%
$2,001-$3,000	19.92%
$3,001-$4,000	14.02%
$4,001-$5,000	10.62%
$5,000+	14.02%

Do you know what happens to someone’s debt when they die?
Yes	60.60%
No	39.40%

Have you ever taken on debt to travel for a funeral? If so, how much?
I haven’t taken on debt for funeral travel costs	46.16%
Less than $500	11.70%
$501-$1,000	22.76%
$1,001-$2,000	14.81%
$2,000+	4.57%

Have you ever taken on debt after a loved-one’s death? If so, how much?
I haven’t taken on debt after a loved one’s death	85.94%
Less than $500	2.77%
$501-$1,000	3.17%
$1,001-$2,000	1.58%
$2,001-$3,000	1.98%
$3,001-$4,000	1.78%
$4,001-$5,000	0.79%
$5,000+	1.98%

What kind of debt did you take on?
Credit card debt	49.55%
A personal loan	40.30%
A funeral loan	10.15%

If you’ve taken on debt after a loved one’s death, how did that affect you?
The debt made me anxious	36.75%
I haven’t been able to keep up with payments	29.52%
I’ve put off other bill payments	24.41%
I’ve put off major purchases like a home	20.20%
It hasn’t affected me emotionally or financially	17.00%
Not applicable	37.02%

What’s your ideal funeral?
Burial in a coffin	35.59%
Cremation with a ceremony	41.76%
Cremation without a ceremony	19.72%
A pauper’s grave (public funeral)	2.93%

Click here for full survey results from 2023

Do you get uncomfortable thinking about death?
Yes	53.82%
No	46.18%

Does that discomfort stop you from planning for your death?
Yes	32.50%
No	67.50%

Have you written a will?
No, I don’t have time	14.53%
No, I’m too young	20.36%
No, I don’t have many assets	23.42%
No, thinking about my death is stressful	11.38%
Yes, I’ve written a will	30.31%

Would you take on debt for a family member’s funeral?
Yes	54.78%
No	45.22%

If yes, how much debt would you be willing to take on?
None	37.57%
Less than $500	7.55%
$501-$1,000	12.91%
$1,001-$2,000	12.62%
$2,001-$3,000	9.37%
$3,001-$4,000	3.63%
$4,001-$5,000	7.17%
More than $5,000	9.18%

Do you know what happens to someone’s debt when they die?
Yes	45.03%
No	54.97%

Have you ever taken on debt to travel for a funeral? If so, how much?
I haven’t taken on debt for funeral costs	73.52%
Less than $500	9.27%
$501-$1,000	9.27%
$1,001-$2,000	5.07%
More than $2,000	2.87%

Have you ever taken on debt after a loved one’s death? If so, how much?
I haven’t taken on debt after a loved one’s death	71.32%
Less than $500	7.17%
$501-$1,000	6.12%
$1,001-$2,000	5.26%
$2,001-$3,000	3.35%
$3,001-$4,000	1.91%
$4,001-$5,000	2.10%
More than $5,000	2.77%

While planning a funeral, what kind of debt did you take on?
Credit card debt	52.01%
A personal loan	25.24%
A funeral loan	22.75%

If you’ve taken on debt after a loved one’s death, how did that affect you?
The debt made me anxious	27.72%
I haven’t been able to keep up with payments	13.19%
I’ve put off other bill payments	13.58%
I’ve put off major purchases like a home	10.61%
It hasn’t affected me emotionally or financially	55.35%

Methodology: Debt.com surveyed 1,097 adults and asked 14 questions about how death expenses contributed to their debt. People responded from all 50 states and Washington, DC, and were aged 18 and above. Responses were collected through SurveyMonkey.