part II, I contacted my daughter the lawyer-the order in which bills get paid is set in statute of the state. First paid is the funeral, then the cost of probating the state, the IRS, and down the list to unsecured loans. Medicare and your mother's health insurance should cover hospital and doctor bills. You do not pay. If the estate runs out of money it is insolvent, so you need to follow the order of payment set up by the state. Anything in your mother's name may have to be sold to pay the bills. Life insurance is payable to either the estate to pay bills, or a survivor-your sister. That money your sister gets is for your sister not the estate. Plus you know there is no money, but IRS taxes will have to be done for your mother. So that will be settled after the first of the year. As long as nobody else's name is on your mother's accounts, you are not responsible. Bill collectors will not be happy and tell you it is your resonsibility, but it is not. It is not a legal or moral obligation on your part to pay the bills. Good luck!