How should a returned government benefit payment be reported in an estate inventory and accounting? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, the estate inventory should show only property that actually belonged to the decedent and came into the personal representative’s hands or control. If a government benefit payment was returned because it was not…
Do I have to pay a public administrator before I can get answers about what they will do for the estate? – NC Short Answer Usually no. In North Carolina, a public administrator or other estate fiduciary is generally paid through the estate and under the clerk of superior court’s supervision, not as a condition…
How do I prepare an estate accounting if I already filed the inventory but didn’t do the annual accounting? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, filing the inventory does not replace the required estate accounting. If the personal representative missed the annual accounting, the usual fix is to prepare and file a catch-up annual…
Can I challenge how an executor is handling an estate if I am not named as co-executor? – NC Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, a person does not have to be named as co-executor to raise concerns about how an executor is handling an estate. If that person is an interested party, such as…
How do I find out whether a deceased person’s estate owes money back to Social Security? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, the usual way to find out whether a deceased person’s estate owes money back to Social Security, or whether any unpaid benefits are still due, is to have the estate’s personal representative…
How can I buy estate property during probate, and what approvals are required? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, estate real property usually cannot be transferred to a buyer during probate until a personal representative is properly appointed and the sale is handled through the correct process. If the buyer is also the proposed…
If I’m not named as executor in the will, do I still have any say in how the estate is handled? – NC Short Answer Usually, yes—but not the same kind of say as the executor. In North Carolina, the person named in a valid will generally has priority to serve as executor, but other…
What do I need to send the heirs with the final account to propose approval and move the estate toward closing? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, the personal representative usually needs to send each heir or beneficiary a copy of the final account, a clear proposal asking for approval or objections within the…
Can the bankruptcy affect the personal representative’s ability to manage or distribute estate assets? – NC Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, a personal representative’s own bankruptcy can affect how that person manages or distributes estate assets, but it does not automatically make the probate estate part of the bankruptcy case. The key question is…
What can I do if a bank says it can’t access the estate account or claim records due to a system issue? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, a temporary bank system problem usually does not end the estate’s right to obtain account or claim records. The personal representative, or someone acting with that…
