What filings are still needed to finish the estate when a notice to creditors was already published and assets like vehicles and the house are still in my parent’s name? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, publishing a Notice to Creditors is only one step. To finish an intestate estate and move assets…
What is an affidavit of domicile and why would a financial institution require it before releasing an account after death? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an affidavit of domicile is a sworn, notarized statement identifying where the person who died (the decedent) had a legal home (domicile) at the time of death.…
How do I figure out which county holds the death record if I’m unsure where the person died? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the death certificate is usually filed in the county where the death happened. If the place of death is unknown, the record is filed in the county where the…
Do I need both a disclaimer and a deed, or will a recorded disclaimer alone clear title for future sale or refinancing? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a properly prepared, delivered, and recorded disclaimer can transfer the disclaimed inheritance as a matter of law, without the disclaiming heir signing a deed. That…
What happens if we can’t locate the original refund check, or it was already voided or lost? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a refund check that was issued in a decedent’s name can often be reissued to the estate even if the original check cannot be found or was already voided. Insurers…
How can I challenge the information provided by the decedent’s child to the funeral home? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the surviving spouse generally has first priority to control final disposition (including whether cremation happens) when the decedent did not leave valid written instructions. A spouse can challenge inaccurate information given to…
How do I coordinate probate administration when one heir’s estate must receive funds from another estate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, when an heir dies before receiving an inheritance, the decedent’s personal representative generally should not distribute that share until a personal representative for the deceased heir’s estate is appointed and can…
Can I remove or replace the trustee if they refuse reasonable distributions? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, a beneficiary can ask the court to remove a trustee and appoint a replacement when the trustee’s conduct (including refusing appropriate distributions) seriously harms the trust administration or the beneficiaries’ interests. The most common…
Can I rely on our family’s informal promise to inherit the estate even without a will? – North Carolina Short Answer No. In North Carolina, when someone dies without a valid will, the estate generally must pass to the legal heirs set by the state’s “intestate succession” rules—not by an informal family promise. Family members…
How do I handle a closed bank account that stopped HOA payments after a death? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, when a parent dies and an HOA payment stops because a bank account was closed, the immediate goal is to keep the HOA from adding late fees or recording a lien while…
