Credit card companies have not been doing well in regard to public opinion lately and your situation certainly does nothing to enhance their reputation. I suggest that you contact the credit card company and ask to speak to a supervisor. Explain your mother's situation and that she is not in a position to pay the credit card balance at this time. Hopefully, they will agree to freeze the amount of her debt and wait until payment is able to be made. If they are not willing to wait, you are not in a bad position. You are not personally responsible for your mother's credit card debt unless her credit card account is a joint account of you and your mother with joint liability. Otherwise you are not responsible for paying her credit card debt. The card should not be used anymore, but it is not your responsibility to pay your mother's credit card debt. It is unlikely that they will bring a legal action to collect the debt. If they did so, it is hard to imagine a court that would not provide your mother with a reasonable period in which to pay the debt. In any event, the debt is not your responsibility.