Do I need my own probate lawyer if a public administrator is already handling my sibling’s estate? – NC Short Answer Usually not. In North Carolina, a public administrator or other court-appointed estate administrator handles the estate for the benefit of the estate as a whole, not for one heir individually. A separate lawyer often…
Will I have to do anything personally if the court appoints a public administrator for my sibling’s estate? – NC Short Answer Usually, no. If a North Carolina court appoints a public administrator, that person takes on the job of collecting estate information, dealing with creditors, and handling the probate process through the Clerk of…
Can an heir change their mind after signing paperwork that lets someone else handle the estate? – NC Short Answer Usually, an heir in North Carolina can decide not to serve as the estate administrator and allow someone else to handle the estate. But whether that heir can later reverse course depends on what was…
What does a public administrator do for heirs when someone dies without a will? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, a public administrator may step in to handle an intestate estate when no family member wants to serve or the clerk appoints someone else to do the job. The public administrator does not represent…
What can I do if a co-heir is making decisions about estate property without keeping me informed? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, an heir who believes estate property is being handled without proper disclosure can ask the Clerk of Superior Court to require a complete inventory, supplemental inventory, or accounting from the personal…
What happens if timber was sold under an agreement signed before a parent passed away? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, the answer usually turns on whether the parent signed a binding timber sale agreement before death and whether the timber was treated as part of the real property interest or as a right…
Do I need to open a full estate if the only issue is my grandparent’s interest in the house? – NC Short Answer Not always. In North Carolina, if the deed did not include survivorship language, the grandparent’s share of the house usually became a probate asset, but a full estate may not be necessary…
How do I clear title to a house after my grandparent passed away if we were both on the deed? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, the answer usually depends on how the deed was written. If the deed named both owners but did not clearly create a right of survivorship, the law usually…
What happens if a deed lists two owners but does not include survivorship language when one owner dies? – NC Short Answer In North Carolina, a deed to two owners usually creates a tenancy in common unless the deed clearly says there is a right of survivorship. If one owner dies and the deed does…
Can a law firm request bank statements for an estate if the personal representative authorized it? – NC Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, the personal representative is the person with authority to gather estate information and deal with financial institutions for estate administration. A law firm may request bank statements on the estate’s behalf…
