Posted on September 27, 2009 at 2:01 am So here it is,My mom has left the country and still has credit card debt. I have been paying the minimum payments for quite some time but cannot afford to do so anymore. I am planning to stop paying but afraid of the consequences that will happen to me and my mom. The credit card company has my address and phone numbers and both my mom and I are permanent residents of the US. What is the worst thing that can happen to my mom or me in this case?

Posted on September 27, 2009 at 2:03 am Also, we are so broke that my mom cannot even afford to come to the United States anymore. The credit card that I am referring to is under my mom's name by the way. I am just helping my mom to pay it off but I just cannot do it anymore.

Posted on September 30, 2009 at 6:02 am Dingdong, is the account solely in your mother's name? Because you have no legal obligation to take care of that debt. Even if you were an authorized user of the card, you are not obliged to do so.

Posted on October 1, 2009 at 3:29 am But who can take care of this debt then? Aside from Dingdong?

Posted on February 9, 2010 at 5:31 am By all means stop the payments & wait for the creditors to pass on the accounts to a thirdparty collection agency. That usually happens 5-6 months after you've completely stopped paying.By law, they are to write off that debt, but that means they lose profit there. So to get at leasta portion of the debt back, they pass the account on to a collection agency - if that happens,expect calls and threats but don't be intimidated - it sounds like you're not liable for a debtthat's not yours. As for your mother, if she's not coming back until the statute of limitationson debt collection on your state expired - the worst thing that could happen to her, which is"be sued for judgment" might not happen.

Posted on February 9, 2010 at 5:34 am But who can take care of this debt then? Aside from Dingdong? -- I suppose nobody unlesssomebody co-signed in that account. And just to add to the previous post - Dingdong, read upon your rights (technically not yours but anyway) via the FTC with regards to collectionagencies: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm

Posted on February 9, 2010 at 5:38 am just to add to the post about judgment. It doesn't mean jail time. It's not a criminal lawsuitthat the creditor/collection agency might bring up against your mother...a judgment is a rightgiven by the court to collect on the consumer via wage garnishment, bank levy, or property lien.Some states have limitations on which.

Posted on February 9, 2010 at 5:52 am The expiration of the SoL however doesn't mean that the debt will go away. There are debtrelief programs available for you, that offers affordable monthly payments & sign up fees.Depending on your account status and debt amount - you can look into credit counseling ordebt settlement.To know more about them, please fill out form here at destroydebt.com and avail of the free initial debt consultation.