What can I do if a hospital said it would write off the bill but then filed a creditor claim against the estate anyway? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a hospital can file a creditor claim against an estate even if someone believes the bill was going to be written off, but…
How do I locate and enforce my grandparents’ will that was supposed to divide assets equally between me and my sibling? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the starting point is the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the grandparent lived at death. A will may already be on file in…
Will settling a decedent’s debt for less than the full balance trigger tax consequences, and who is responsible for any taxes? – North Carolina Short Answer Sometimes. If a creditor agrees to take less than the full balance, the “forgiven” amount can be treated as taxable cancellation-of-debt income under federal rules, and North Carolina income…
Which court should I file in for a death certificate correction, and can this be handled without me appearing in person? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, most death certificate corrections start as an administrative amendment request with the North Carolina State Registrar (Office of Vital Records), often through the county Register of…
What is a letter of testamentary and why do I need it to handle an estate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, “letters testamentary” are court-issued papers from the Clerk of Superior Court that show an executor has been officially appointed and has legal authority to act for a decedent’s estate. Many banks,…
Can I recover the healthcare annuity proceeds from my nephew without going to court? – North Carolina Short Answer Sometimes, yes, but only if the nephew cooperates and the financial institution will accept proof of authority. In North Carolina, a trustee often can handle trust-owned assets without court supervision, but a bank or annuity company…
What steps are required to file a collection affidavit for a small estate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a “collection by affidavit” (often called a small-estate collection affidavit) lets a qualifying heir, devisee, or creditor collect and distribute a decedent’s personal property without opening a full probate estate. In most cases, the…
How do I calculate potential capital gains tax when selling inherited real property? – North Carolina Short Answer For inherited real property, the starting point for calculating potential capital gain is usually the property’s fair market value on the decedent’s date of death (often called a “stepped-up” basis). Potential gain is generally the sale price…
How do I confirm that all of the accounts have correct beneficiary designations? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the most reliable way to confirm beneficiary designations is to obtain the bank’s or brokerage firm’s governing account contract records (often the signature card, account agreement, or beneficiary designation form), not just monthly statements.…
How can I appoint a trustee for both a testamentary trust and its subtrusts? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the starting point is the will itself: if the will names a trustee (or a person with power to appoint one), that person typically fills the trustee role for the testamentary trust and…
