What happens if my final accounting is ready but I’m still waiting on a creditor’s written confirmation? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina estate administration, the Clerk of Superior Court generally will not approve a Final Account or close the estate until the file shows that known debts and claims have been paid…
After the court accepts the will, what follow-up steps are needed to make sure appointment papers are issued so I can pay valid estate claims? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a will being accepted (admitted to probate) is usually not the last step before authority is issued. Appointment papers (often called “Letters…
What happens if the information on the affidavit doesn’t match the death certificate or probate documents? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a financial institution will usually pause its review if an affidavit (including an affidavit of domicile) does not match the death certificate or the probate papers, because the institution needs consistent…
Can I negotiate more time on a credit card settlement if estate funds won’t be available until after closing? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, a personal representative can usually ask a credit card creditor for more time to fund an estate settlement when the payment depends on delayed house-sale proceeds. The…
Do I need a death certificate to start probate, and what can I do if I can’t get one yet? – North Carolina Short Answer Not always. In North Carolina, the Clerk of Superior Court can start a probate estate and issue letters based on acceptable “evidence of death,” and a certified death certificate is…
How do I get a tax ID number for an estate and who is allowed to request it? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an estate usually needs its own federal tax ID number (an EIN) once a personal representative is appointed and the estate needs to open an estate bank account or…
What happens if the deceased had not filed taxes for several years, and who handles those filings during probate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, unfiled tax returns do not disappear at death. The estate’s personal representative (executor or administrator) generally becomes responsible for getting the decedent’s past-due final individual returns filed and…
Can I reopen the estate bank account with letters of administration to handle reimbursements and distributions? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the personal representative usually can reopen (or open) an estate bank account and deposit reimbursements as long as the personal representative still has valid authority under the letters of administration and…
Can selling property through a trust avoid the higher costs of an estate sale? – North Carolina Short Answer Sometimes. In North Carolina, if a trust owns the property, the trustee can often sell it without using the court-controlled “estate sale” (judicial sale) process, which can reduce delay and certain court steps. However, a trust…
What documents do I need to file to process my spouse’s estate with a law firm? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the core filings to start a spouse’s estate usually include the original will (if there is one), an application to the Clerk of Superior Court to open the estate and appoint…
