How can I refuse to sign a check for my parent’s estate when I haven’t seen any accounting? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, you do not have to sign distribution checks or closing paperwork until the personal representative files the required inventory and accounting with the Clerk of Superior Court. You…
What steps do I need to petition for guardianship over my cousin’s personal and financial affairs? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you start by filing a verified petition for adjudication of incompetence and appointment of a guardian with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where your cousin lives or is…
What happens to rent and mortgage responsibilities when a tenant vacates under a partition lawsuit? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, when a tenant leaves during a pending partition case, the rent stops, but the mortgage and other carrying costs remain the co-owners’ responsibility. The Clerk of Superior Court can enter interim orders—such…
Can I force the sale of our jointly owned property even if my co-owner is behind on the mortgage? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, any co-owner (tenant in common or joint tenant without survivorship) can file a partition case. If the land cannot be fairly divided, the Clerk of Superior Court…
Can we use a settlement agreement to outline sale terms and avoid court in a partition action? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, co-owners in a partition case can settle and ask the Clerk of Superior Court to enter a consent order that adopts their agreed sale terms. The court still must…
Do I have to return gifts or personal items claimed by my co-owner during a partition case? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a partition case decides what to do with co-owned real estate; it does not decide who owns movable personal items. Fixtures generally stay with the property, but personal property (like…
How can I respond to a partition action filed by my co-owner? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a partition case is a special proceeding before the Clerk of Superior Court where any co-owner can ask to divide the property or sell it. You must file a written answer quickly—generally within 10 days…
Can I include special needs provisions in the trust for a family member on medication? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, you can build a discretionary “supplemental needs” provision into an irrevocable, third‑party trust so a beneficiary who may need public benefits is supported without making trust assets countable for means‑tested programs.…
What happens if someone contests the trust years after it’s established? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the outcome turns on timing and the type of trust. A challenge to a revocable trust after the settlor’s death is strictly time-limited—often as short as 120 days after formal notice from the trustee and no…
How can I make my trust ironclad to prevent future challenges or contests? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, no trust is 100% challenge-proof, but you can greatly reduce the risk by proving capacity and free will at signing, using clear terms with built-in protections (spendthrift and discretionary provisions), selecting a strong trustee…
