Can a mortgage that is in my and my spouse’s names be treated as part of the deceased person’s estate in any way? – NC Short Answer Usually no. In North Carolina, a mortgage debt that is only in another couple’s names is not itself a probate asset of the deceased person’s estate. But the…
What happens in probate if the deceased had debts but no meaningful assets to pay them? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, debts do not automatically become the executor’s or beneficiary’s personal debts just because the estate cannot pay them. If the probate estate has little or no property, the personal representative still must…
How do I open probate if my parent died with or without a will? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, probate usually starts with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the parent lived at death. If there is a will, the original will is offered for probate and the named executor…
Can I transfer the title of my long-term partner’s truck if we weren’t married and there was no will? – NC Short Answer Usually not based on partner status alone. In North Carolina, an unmarried partner does not inherit a deceased partner’s truck just because of the relationship, so title usually cannot be transferred to…
If someone wants to buy the truck, can it be sold before probate is finished, and who has the authority to sell it? – NC Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, a truck owned only by the person who died can often be sold before the probate case is finished, but the sale must be…
What happens to a vehicle with a lien when the owner dies without a will? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, a vehicle titled only in the decedent’s name does not automatically pass to an unmarried partner when the owner dies without a will. The truck becomes part of the intestate estate, stays subject…
If we can’t use the will, can we still open the estate as if there is no will and keep the same outcome for the heirs? – NC Short Answer Sometimes, but not automatically. In North Carolina, if a will cannot be admitted to probate, the estate may be opened as an intestate estate, which…
Do the heirs have to sign new renunciation or waiver forms if we switch from probating a will to an intestate estate? – NC Short Answer Usually, yes. In North Carolina, if an estate changes from testate administration under a will to intestate administration, the people whose rights are affected may also change, so earlier…
What happens if there are no other assets to probate except possible lawsuit proceeds? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, the answer depends on what kind of lawsuit proceeds may be recovered. If the only possible recovery is a wrongful death claim, the personal representative often still must be appointed, but those proceeds are…
Do potential lawsuit proceeds have to be disclosed or handled through probate even if the case paperwork doesn’t list my parent by name? – NC Short Answer Usually, yes. In North Carolina, if a claim belonged to the deceased person, the personal representative generally must handle it through the estate, even if outside paperwork uses…
