What documents do I need to file to get access to the deceased person’s bank account and distribute the funds to the heirs? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the documents depend on whether the bank account can be handled through the small-estate “collection by affidavit” process or whether a full estate must…
How should I respond if another interested party keeps reaching out while the family’s contact information is still being confirmed? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina probate matters, the safest response is a short, neutral update: the matter is being reviewed and contact information for the family is still being confirmed, so no…
Who is the right person to speak with about a deceased person’s estate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the right person to speak with about a deceased person’s estate is usually the court-appointed personal representative (the executor if there is a will, or the administrator if there is no will). That person’s…
How can my siblings and I decide whether it’s worth taking legal action in a long-running estate matter? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, deciding whether to take legal action in a long-running estate usually comes down to three questions: (1) is the personal representative meeting required duties like filing proper accountings, (2)…
What happens if a family member claimed I was dead and collected my inheritance from a grandparent’s estate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, if someone falsely claimed an heir was dead and collected that heir’s share from a grandparent’s estate, the payment may be treated as a wrongful distribution. The usual remedies…
Do I have to go to the courthouse in person for probate, or can everything be filed online? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, most probate work is handled through the Clerk of Superior Court (Estates Division), and many documents can often be submitted without repeated courthouse trips. But probate is not always…
How do I get legal authority to request a deceased relative’s medical records for a lawsuit when there was no will? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the cleanest way to get “court-issued authority” to request a deceased person’s medical records is usually to have a court appoint an estate representative and obtain…
If the will was signed in another state and isn’t notarized, is it still valid where the probate is being handled, especially when there is real estate involved? – North Carolina Short Answer Often, yes. In North Carolina, a will signed in another state can still be valid even if it is not notarized, as…
What can I do if the estate administrator is unresponsive and I can’t get updates about the estate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an estate administrator (a “personal representative”) is supervised by the Clerk of Superior Court and can be required to file an inventory and accounting and to respond to court…
What can I do if I have evidence someone forged my parent’s signature on checks or moved money into another person’s account before death? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, suspected forged checks or last-minute transfers before death can be addressed through a mix of probate steps and, when needed, a separate civil…
