What documents do I need to file to process my spouse’s estate with a law firm? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the core filings to start a spouse’s estate usually include the original will (if there is one), an application to the Clerk of Superior Court to open the estate and appoint…
Which bank accounts titled in my parent’s name with sibling co-owners avoid probate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a bank (or similar deposit) account usually avoids probate only if the account paperwork creates a right of survivorship (a true joint survivorship account) or if it is a payable-on-death (POD) account naming a…
Can my sibling compel a formal probate even though the estate qualifies for a small estate procedure? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, even when an estate qualifies for the “small estate” (collection by affidavit) procedure, an interested person—such as an heir or creditor—can ask the Clerk of Superior Court to open…
What legal remedies do I have if an appraiser or agent took unauthorized photos of my personal items? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, unauthorized photos taken inside a private home can create civil remedies depending on what was photographed, why the person was inside, and what happened to the images afterward. The…
How do I report a scrapped car with no cash recovery on my estate inventory? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a personal representative generally lists a vehicle on the estate inventory at its fair market value as of the date of death (not the later scrap value). If the car is later…
How do I handle inherited property when my minor child is an heir and I need to act on their behalf? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a parent usually cannot sign deeds, closing papers, or other binding documents to sell, mortgage, or otherwise transfer a minor child’s inherited real estate interest just…
Do I need to open probate if most assets were jointly owned or have beneficiaries? – North Carolina Short Answer Not always. In North Carolina, a full probate estate administration is generally needed when the person who died owned property in their sole name that does not pass automatically to someone else. If most property…
How soon after the creditor period ends can I close on the sale of the estate house? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the end of the estate creditor claim period (typically three months after the first published notice to creditors) does not automatically control when a house sale can close. A sale…
How can I resolve a billing dispute with a funeral home while the estate is being opened or administered? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a funeral or cremation bill is usually treated as an estate expense that the personal representative can pay, but only after verifying what was authorized and what is…
Should we wait to share detailed account statements until we pick a trust company, and who is authorized to provide asset verification? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina probate, detailed brokerage and bank statements usually should be shared only with the parties who have legal authority to act—most often the court-appointed personal representative…
