How can I open an estate bank account as the executor, and what documents do banks usually require? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an executor typically opens an estate bank account after qualifying with the Clerk of Superior Court and receiving certified Letters Testamentary (or Letters of Administration). Most banks require certified…
Can a probate attorney send a demand letter to force the lender or servicer to release the lien on a paid-off vehicle? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, a probate attorney can send a written demand to the lender or servicer to release a vehicle lien, and state law sets specific timelines…
Can an adopted child be legally disinherited in a will even if they were raised by the deceased? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, an adopted child generally has the same legal status as a biological child for inheritance purposes, but a parent can still choose to leave that child nothing in…
How can I challenge a sibling’s power‑of‑attorney actions over a paid care contract and use of our parent’s money, or report suspected financial abuse? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a power-of-attorney agent (attorney-in-fact) must act as a fiduciary for the parent (the principal) and keep records of what was done with the…
How can an estate administrator get a pension plan to release information about a deceased person’s account? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a pension plan will usually release account information to an estate administrator only after receiving proof of authority to act for the estate. The most common proof is a certified…
What documents do I need to prove I paid property expenses so I can be reimbursed from the estate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina estate administration, reimbursement for property-related expenses usually requires proof of (1) what was paid, (2) when it was paid, (3) who paid it, and (4) that the charge…
If my spouse and I cover the past‑due amount and future payments, how do we ensure the title is legally transferred to us? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, paying the mortgage (even catching it up and resuming monthly payments) does not transfer legal title. Title usually passes under the will (if there…
How can I get a bank to release a pay-on-death account with a death certificate when they keep asking for letters testamentary? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a properly created pay-on-death (POD) account generally becomes the beneficiary’s property at the owner’s death, and the bank can pay the beneficiary after receiving proof…
How is a personal representative commission approved, and what records should I provide? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a personal representative’s commission is approved by the Clerk of Superior Court (the probate court) based on what the estate actually received and what the personal representative actually paid out during administration. In many…
What documents let me tow or scrap titled vehicles on the property? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the documents needed depend on why the vehicle is being removed. If the vehicle is part of an estate, the cleanest paperwork usually starts with court-issued Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration showing who has…
