Dear Sun Spots: I am concerned about a friend whose wife passed away and left him with credit card debt that he was shocked to find.

Since he is retired and on Social Security and could not pay the debt, he went back to work at the age of 70.

Is there some way he could be clear of this debt without resorting to working again?

Somehow this does not seem fair to him. – A concerned friend, Lewiston

Answer: While he’s being responsible about paying back the debt, your friend isn’t necessarily legally responsible for debt incurred solely by his wife before her death. Oksana Bennett, an attorney in Lisbon who specializes in bankruptcy law, recommends that your friend contact Legal Services for the Elderly.

The agency provides free legal services to the elderly and would be able to write a letter to the credit card company outlining that your friend’s wife had no assets upon her death. If the debt is in her name only and there are no assets in her estate, the debt can be excused by letter and he would have no obligation to pay the credit card company.

Even if your friend’s wife had some assets upon her death, Bennett said there is an exemption of up to $18,500 for your friend before any creditor can collect on the debt. Please tell your friend he can contact Legal Services for the Elderly at 800-750-5353

Dear Sun Spots: Last year, SeniorsPlus served 88,000 meals to over 700 homebound seniors in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties. We wanted to let people know that throughout the month of March we will be collecting donations to help keep the program running. How can you help?

You can return your bottles to Rooper’s in Auburn and Sabbattus Street in Lewiston and ask for the proceeds to go to Meals on Wheels. You can also make a monetary donation by calling SeniorsPlus at 207-795-4010 or 1-800-427-1241 or stop by our office at 8 Falcon Road in Lewiston next to Sparetime Recreation.

One hundred percent of the proceeds will go to Meals on Wheels. – Connie Jones, SeniorsPlus, Lewiston

Answer: SeniorsPlus is a private non-profit corporation that offers two principal services: the Area Agency on Aging, or AAA, in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties, which has worked to help seniors maintain independent living since its founding in 1972, and Elder Independence of Maine, or EIM, which coordinates home care services for anyone 18 years and older throughout Maine.

The agency offers support, information, services and resources for seniors and adults with special needs.SeniorsPlus most visible program may be the popular Meals on Wheels, a program that provides food to home-bound adults. For a donation of $100, SeniorsPlus is able to feed healthy meals to one homebound senior for three weeks. The program also serves meals on a temporary basis to seniors who may have recently returned home from a hospital stay, and $50 will pay for hot meals for eight days for these seniors who are on the mend. For more information about what donations can be made and how the agency’s money is spent in its various programs, or to find out about services offered by SeniorsPlus, log on to www.seniorsplus.org, or call their Lewiston office at 795-4010 or (800) 427-1241.

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