Does my mortgage get paid off if my spouse dies?

The answer to put it simply, is yes you do have to pay it off. There are ways to help and one is mortgage insurance. Many companies and banks offer mortgage insurance as a way to ease the stress that comes with losing a loved one. Its hard enough having to go through that, and to go through having to pay off all of that extra debt can make matters much worse, especially mentally and emotionally. Mortgage insurance helps to reduce the debt. Someone will also cover a certain percentage (20 percent and sometimes much more depending on the policy). You want to make sure that you're covered no matter what. There are many way to help ease this burden. You must simply do your research and know that just because someone important to you expires, your bills and debt do not, unfortunately.