How do rights of survivorship affect probate when one decedent’s property transfers automatically? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, property held with a valid right of survivorship (or similar beneficiary designations) passes directly to the survivor and usually does not require probate. A will still must be delivered to the Clerk if one…
Can I challenge an estate accounting or actions taken by the administrator after final accounting? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, you can object to a proposed final accounting within 30 days if you were formally notified, and you can appeal a clerk’s order approving a final accounting within 10 days of…
How can I obtain a copy of my grandparents’ will when I live in another country? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, once a will is admitted to probate, it becomes a public record kept by the Clerk of Superior Court. You can request regular or certified copies from the clerk in the…
Can I complete ancillary probate remotely if I live out of state? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes—North Carolina allows a nonresident personal representative to obtain ancillary letters and handle most tasks without traveling. You file with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the North Carolina property is located, provide certified or…
What documentation do I need to transfer undeveloped property through ancillary probate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you typically need (1) certified or exemplified copies of the domiciliary court’s letters of appointment and, if there is a will, the certified copy of the will and its probate order; (2) an application for…
How can I find out if the stocks and bonds I’m named on were transferred to me after my friend’s death? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, transfer-on-death (TOD) stocks and bonds pass directly to the named beneficiary when the owner dies, outside of probate, once you give the firm the required paperwork.…
What steps can I take to locate a brokerage or bank account when I have no account details or contact info? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, start by reviewing the public estate file at the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where probate is open; the personal representative must file a…
What can I do when the executor or spouse won’t provide access to the account information? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, transfer-on-death (TOD) securities pass directly to the named beneficiary when the owner dies, and you can claim them from the brokerage with a death certificate and the firm’s claim forms—no executor…
Do I need to submit the vehicle title or VIN when inventorying estate assets? – North Carolina Short Answer On the North Carolina estate inventory (AOC-E-505), you must list each vehicle with its VIN (serial number), title number, make/description, and date-of-death value. You generally do not file the physical title with the inventory. Keep the…
Can I buy a property if the seller never opened a probate estate? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes, but proceed carefully. In North Carolina, title to a decedent’s non‑survivorship real estate vests in the heirs at death, but it remains subject to estate debts and certain probate rules. Within two years of death, a…
