What can I do if a beneficiary says they won’t divide trust assets and is trying to drag the trust administration out for years? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a beneficiary generally cannot “hold the trust hostage” just by refusing to cooperate. If the person delaying things is acting as trustee (or…
What happens if an executor sells or throws away my property before I can pick it up? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an executor (called a “personal representative”) must gather, safeguard, and then distribute estate property to the people entitled to it. If the personal representative sells, gives away, or discards property…
How do I challenge a power of attorney that was signed when my parent had dementia and may not have understood what they were signing? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, challenging a power of attorney (POA) signed during dementia usually means asking the Superior Court to declare the POA invalid because the…
If relatives have been living in the estate house, can their mortgage or upkeep payments be treated like rent instead of reimbursable expenses? – North Carolina Short Answer Sometimes. In North Carolina, whether a relative’s mortgage, tax, insurance, or upkeep payments are reimbursable (instead of treated like “rent”) often turns on whether that person had…
After my parent dies without a will, can my siblings sell the real estate without my consent? – North Carolina Short Answer Usually, no. In North Carolina, when a parent dies without a will, the parent’s real estate generally passes to the heirs at death, and one heir (or a group of heirs) typically cannot…
Can I be appointed to manage my sibling’s estate if other family members disagree? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, the Clerk of Superior Court can appoint a personal representative (an “executor” if there is a will, or an “administrator” if there is no will) even when family members disagree. The clerk…
How do I get started with administering an estate when multiple siblings are involved? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, getting started usually means opening an estate with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the person lived, and having one person qualify to act as the personal representative (executor or…
When and how can heirs formally object to the personal representative’s actions during probate if we think the accounting is wrong? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, heirs can raise formal objections by filing an estate proceeding with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the estate is being administered, asking…
What documents are typically needed to show the court that the estate bond is current? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the Clerk of Superior Court usually treats the bond as “current” when the estate file shows an approved bond on record and there is no lapse or cancellation by the surety. The…
Do I need to go to court or file paperwork if I am an heir? – North Carolina Short Answer Usually, an heir does not have to go to court or file probate paperwork just to be an heir in North Carolina. Most of the required filings are handled by the personal representative (the executor…
