Where do my Mom's bills go now that she's in long-term care?

I had a similar situation and as others say, don't pay them. If your mother has funds, I would get her to pay them. If she doesn't, I would still get in touch with them to let them know the situation. My mother is in a nursing home (there over 2 years) and when she first went in, I didn't know she had debt. I had her mail transferred to my address and started to receive collection notices. She did have money so I paid. However, it was a huge hassle and very time-consuming to get everything resolved. I had to send them a significant amount of paperwork as well, including financial POA.

If someone has a financial POA, I would tell them to get in touch with the creditors. I wouldn't have your mother stop paying if she has funds as they will add on fees, which can be difficult to get removed. If she doesn't have funds, still let them know. Also, the person with financial POA will need to contact them as they won't speak to you unless they have that doucmentation.

Ditto the others. Her debt is her debt. If she has assets or a way to pay them, then that should happen before she passes because that will be easier than handling them through the estate. However, if she doesn't have assets to pay them (or those assets are tied up in something like a house that needs to be sold for her care) I think you should just let things go for now. Do not use your own money to pay her credit card bills. If you must pay any bill for her, it should be for immediate, necessary medical care (an example might be dental care if she doesn't have dental insurance but is in pain)

Whatever else you do, you nor anyone else, do NOT pay with your own funds. This can be called "assuming the debt" and you can be then pursued. Doesn't mean they can win, but means you can be sued in court for the debt.

Her credit card bills are paid ONLY with Mom's money. Please do not even think about paying them with your own money. So is mom in a NH covered by Medicaid? if so, just about all of her money goes to the NH. DO NOT Pay the cc's. Let them go into default. You are not responsible. If, on the other hand, mom is private paying for her care and still has plenty of money, you or the POA would likely just want to pay off the cards using mom's money. If it is the first scenario, with mom having no money, you tell the bill collectors that mom is no longer living here and don't pay them 1 cent. Others here can give you a more detailed, formal procedure to follow if you wish, but basically you tell them to pound sand.

From what I’ve read here previously,.. don’t you start paying them and I definitely wouldn’t. I wouldn’t want them harassing me.