What happens to "wasted" indulgences?

[jtav]

I’m the only Catholic in the family, and it struck me as a good idea to gain a few indulgences for family members that had died since I’m the only one praying for them and since I have no way of knowing what their ultimate fate is. But it lead to a weird question: what happens to the merits of an indulgence if the intended recipient is not in Purgatory? Does God apply it to the person I’d want it to go to if I knew who was in Purgatory? The person most in need of prayer?

 

[Monte_RCMS]

Indulgences are never “wasted”.

God is looking at you and smiling.

You are being kind and generous.

 

[dshix]

I’m the only Catholic in the family, and it struck me as a good idea to gain a few indulgences for family members that had died since I’m the only one praying for them and since I have no way of knowing what their ultimate fate is. But it lead to a weird question: what happens to the merits of an indulgence if the intended recipient is not in Purgatory? Does God apply it to the person I’d want it to go to if I knew who was in Purgatory? The person most in need of prayer?

That’s correct, the grace from an indulgence offered for a person already in Heaven is applied elsewhere.

You can actually indicate who, by saying “I offer this indulgence for or for Mary’s intentions/”

There’s no limitations of form.