[PeteBrown]

I thought I'd see if the Pelican universe has any insight.

My mom's husband passed away a month ago and now we are stuck with three years left on a four year lease for a 2015 Hyundai Sonata Limited. The car is loaded with nav, moon roof, leather (tech package) and has 13,500 miles on a 60,000 mile allowance. The monthly payment is $367 and no one in my family wants the car.

Hyundai says we can:
1. Pay off the vehicle in full - $13,000 for the lease payments, plus $16,000 for the residual for a total of $29,000. The car is worth maybe $15,000 so that doesn't make sense.
2. Transfer of Equity - it's a lease, so N/A
3. Assumption - we don't want the car
4. Credit Life Insurance Claim - not purchased so not an option
5. Voluntary Surrender / Early Termination - turn the car in and then get billed by Hyundai for the remaining balance of the lease - $13,000.

Other car companies usually have a death forgiveness clause but not Hyundai. So aside from writing a check for $13,000 to give the car back, I think my only option is to try to do lease swap. I presume we will have to provide some sort of capital buy-down to make the lease more attractive or competitive.

Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks