How do I make sure the engagement letter correctly says I’m a claimant to a vehicle and not an heir? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the engagement letter should clearly identify who the client is and what the firm is (and is not) being hired to do. To reflect “claimant” status (a…
Can a representative for an estate handle these updates, or does the executor have to do it personally? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the person with legal authority to act for a deceased person’s estate is the court-appointed personal representative (often called the executor). In many situations, that personal representative can have…
What happens if my accounting includes the same information but is on attachments instead of the official form pages? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the Clerk of Superior Court can reject an accounting as incomplete or unsatisfactory even if the same numbers appear on attachments, and the clerk can require the accounting…
What documents should I gather to prove I was legally married if the death certificate is wrong? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the strongest proof of a legal marriage is a certified marriage certificate (or certified marriage license/return) from the county Register of Deeds where the marriage was recorded. If the death…
How can we sell inherited property when one heir won’t respond or sign the deed? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, inherited real estate often cannot be sold by a simple “everyone signs the deed” closing if one heir will not respond or sign. The usual solutions are (1) a court-supervised estate sale…
How do we find and collect a deceased person’s retirement accounts or pensions when I’m not sure what exists or whether beneficiaries were named? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the practical way to find and collect a deceased person’s retirement accounts or pensions is to (1) get authority to act for the…
Can I be reimbursed for expenses I paid out of pocket before I’m officially appointed as executor? – North Carolina Short Answer Often, yes—under North Carolina law, once the Clerk of Superior Court appoints the executor (personal representative), certain actions taken before appointment can be treated as valid if they benefited the estate. Reimbursement is…
Do I need probate to change the title on an inherited house, or is there another way? – North Carolina Short Answer Often, some probate-related step is needed to clear and transfer title to an inherited house in North Carolina, but it is not always a full estate administration. If there is a will, North…
If my parent’s will left everything to the surviving spouse and didn’t list specific property, does everything automatically go to the spouse? – North Carolina Short Answer Often, yes—if a North Carolina will clearly gives “all” or “the rest and remainder” of the estate to the surviving spouse, the spouse is usually the sole beneficiary…
What can I do if an overnight delivery keeps failing and I still need to return original signed probate documents? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina probate, the Clerk of Superior Court often needs the original, wet-ink signed document for the estate file, even if a copy was shared earlier. If overnight delivery…
