How did someone get appointed as estate administrator without notifying the rest of the family? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an estate administrator can often be appointed by the Clerk of Superior Court through a routine, paperwork-based process that does not require advance notice to every heir. The appointment is made when…
What are letters of administration, and what do I use the sealed version for? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, “letters of administration” are the court-issued document that proves a person has been appointed and qualified to act as the administrator (personal representative) of an estate when there is no executor serving under…
If the will says one person inherits everything, can other family members still be appointed to handle the U.S. bank accounts? – North Carolina Short Answer Usually not. In North Carolina, the person named in the will to serve (the executor) generally has the first right to be appointed by the Clerk of Superior Court…
How do we document the value of a car (like using a pricing guide) so the probate accounting shows everyone received the correct percentage under the will? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina probate, the cleanest way to document a vehicle’s value for an “in-kind” distribution is to use a good-faith fair market…
Can the court dismiss or close the case if I pay the bill and submit the paperwork before the hearing? – North Carolina Short Answer Sometimes, but not automatically. In North Carolina estate administration, the Clerk of Superior Court generally closes the estate only after the required final accounting (and related closing documents) are accepted…
Can an estate administrator sell major estate property without getting all beneficiaries to sign off, and what happens if they try? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an estate administrator (personal representative) usually does not need every beneficiary’s signature to sell estate property. Whether court approval is required depends on what is being…
How does the value of vehicles affect what can be included in a year’s allowance filing? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the value of each vehicle matters because a year’s allowance is awarded based on the value of cash and personal property (not real estate) assigned by the Clerk of Superior Court.…
Who should the payoff check be made payable to, and what should we put in the memo line for an estate repayment? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina probate, an estate payoff tied to an heir’s assignment is usually issued to the inheritance-advance company (the assignee) using the exact legal name shown in…
Who is allowed to request or receive funeral billing records when someone has died? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the person most clearly authorized to request and receive funeral billing records for a deceased person is the estate’s court-appointed personal representative (executor or administrator). In practice, funeral homes often also share invoices…
If I only know the general location of a property, can the estate still include it and transfer it to heirs? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an estate can only transfer real property if the property can be identified with enough detail to match a recorded deed and tax parcel. A “general…
