Category Archives: Probate Q&A Series

What documents do I need to submit with a letter of testamentary to manage or close an account?: Clear requirements for North Carolina institutions

What documents do I need to submit with a letter of testamentary to manage or close an account? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, most financial institutions will require: (1) certified Letters Testamentary (or Letters of Administration), (2) a certified death certificate, (3) your government-issued photo ID, and (4) the institution’s own authorization…

How do I correctly fill out and submit a probate questionnaire to a bank or company?: North Carolina

How do I correctly fill out and submit a probate questionnaire to a bank or company? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an executor may complete a company’s authorization questionnaire and submit it with proof of authority and death to access a decedent’s financial account. Send a certified copy of your Letters Testamentary,…

What happens if someone contests the will after I’ve filed it for probate?: North Carolina

What happens if someone contests the will after I’ve filed it for probate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a will contest is called a “caveat.” If an interested person files a caveat after your will is admitted to probate in common form, the Clerk of Superior Court transfers the case to Superior…

How can I file my sibling’s will with the court to begin probate in North Carolina?

How can I file my sibling’s will with the court to begin probate in North Carolina? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you file the original will and an Application for Probate and Letters with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where your sibling lived. If the will is self-proved, the…

Can I ask the court to appoint a neutral third-party administrator instead of my sibling?

Can I ask the court to appoint a neutral third-party administrator instead of my sibling? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, any interested person can ask the Clerk of Superior Court to deny or revoke a sibling’s appointment and select a neutral administrator if the sibling is disqualified or “otherwise unsuitable,” or…

What can I do to stop my sibling from selling estate property without my consent?: North Carolina guidance

What can I do to stop my sibling from selling estate property without my consent? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, only a court‑appointed personal representative (PR) can sell estate real property, and even then the PR must have authority from the will or a court order. Heirs cannot sell during administration unless…

How can I demand an accounting or recovery of assets my sibling mismanaged?: North Carolina Probate

How can I demand an accounting or recovery of assets my sibling mismanaged? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an heir or other interested person can ask the Clerk of Superior Court to compel the estate’s administrator to file an inventory and accountings and can initiate a proceeding to examine anyone believed to…

What steps are involved in transferring title of a deceased parent’s home so I can refinance the mortgage?: A North Carolina guide

What steps are involved in transferring title of a deceased parent’s home so I can refinance the mortgage? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you first confirm how title passed at death (by will, intestacy, or survivorship). If the home passed by will or intestacy, you typically probate the will (or open an…

Can I continue making payments on my parent’s mortgage after their death and how does it affect the estate?: North Carolina guidance

Can I continue making payments on my parent’s mortgage after their death and how does it affect the estate? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. You can keep paying a deceased parent’s mortgage to prevent default, but those payments do not transfer ownership or replace the need to open the estate. In North Carolina, the…

How do I verify or dispute an unexpected increase in a mortgage balance on inherited property?: North Carolina

How do I verify or dispute an unexpected increase in a mortgage balance on inherited property? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, heirs and devisees generally take real estate subject to any existing mortgage. To verify or dispute a sudden balance increase, the personal representative (or an heir with proper authority) should request…