What happens if my spouse died without a will—how do I claim the money she left me? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, if your spouse died without a will (intestate), the law decides who inherits. As the surviving spouse, you share the estate with the decedent’s children; your exact share depends on…
What type of deed do I need to move property into a living trust? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you generally transfer real estate into a revocable living trust by signing and recording a deed from yourself, individually, to yourself (or another) as trustee of the trust. Many lawyers use a non-warranty…
How can I transfer my out-of-state real property into an existing revocable trust? – North Carolina Short Answer Use a deed that complies with the law of the state where the property sits to convey title from you (individually) to your revocable trust’s trustee, and record that deed in that county’s land records. A local…
What steps can I take if a power of attorney sold estate property without notifying heirs? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an agent’s power of attorney authority ends at the principal’s death. If the sale happened after death, the deed is generally subject to challenge. If the sale happened before death for…
How do I confirm whether my children or I were properly listed on the property deed? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the recorded deed in the county Register of Deeds controls who owns real property. To confirm whether you or your children were listed, pull the most recent deed and the prior…
What rights do siblings or children have when a relative transfers estate property without consent? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, siblings and children can protect estate property by opening an estate, seeking appointment as personal representative, and using court tools to compel an accounting, trace assets, and recover wrongfully transferred property. If…
How can I delay eviction after a foreclosure sale while waiting for surplus funds? – North Carolina Short Answer Under North Carolina law, once a foreclosure sale is final and the deed is recorded, the purchaser can obtain a writ of possession and the sheriff may remove occupants. Filing a petition for surplus funds does…
How can I find out if a will was filed for a decedent in North Carolina? Short Answer Start with the Clerk of Superior Court in the North Carolina county where the decedent last lived. Probated wills are public records kept by the clerk; you can ask for the estate file and get copies. If…
What happens if I can’t locate or contact an heir before the service deadline? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you must try reasonable methods to serve every interested party in a surplus-funds petition. If you cannot find an heir after diligent efforts, you can ask the Clerk of Superior Court to allow…
What are my rights to access and remove personal belongings after a sheriff’s padlock notice? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, once the sheriff padlocks a home under a writ of possession, you cannot re-enter at will, but you usually have a short window to retrieve belongings. You can request a supervised one-time…
