What Happens to Your PayPal (Detailed) Account When You Die
Quick Facts
Balance
Estate claim for PayPal balance
PayPal Savings
Claim savings balance too
PayPal Credit
Debt — estate is liable
Step-by-Step Guide
Initiate PayPal estate claim
Contact PayPal estate services to claim the account balance and any PayPal Savings balance. Provide death certificate and letters testamentary.
Address PayPal Credit balance
If PayPal Credit has an outstanding balance, the estate is liable. Contact PayPal Credit to report the death and settle the debt.
Cancel recurring payments and subscriptions
Review and cancel all automatic payments and subscriptions billed through PayPal.
Document Now Checklist
- PayPal account email
- PayPal balance amount
- PayPal Savings balance
- PayPal Credit outstanding balance if any
Last verified: June 2026. Platform policies may change. Verify current procedures directly with PayPal (Detailed). This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Related Guides
PayPal
PayPal balances are estate assets. Recurring payments continue until cancelled by executor.
Venmo
Venmo balance is an estate asset. Family cannot access the social feed or transaction history directly.
Cash App
If you hold Bitcoin in Cash App, document this separately — crypto recovery requires additional steps.
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