How do I get an itemized funeral bill or receipt to submit as a claim in an estate case? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina estate administration, the usual way to document funeral expenses is to request an itemized statement and a paid receipt (or balance-due statement) directly from the funeral home that…
What documents do I need to prove I’m an heir and challenge a relative’s control over the estate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, proving heir status usually starts with vital records that show the family relationship (death certificate plus birth certificates, marriage/divorce records, and sometimes adoption or legitimation records). To challenge a…
Can the estate still pursue an accident-related insurance claim if the person who died didn’t own a car or have auto insurance? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, the estate can still pursue an accident-related insurance claim even if the person who died did not own a car and did not have…
What happens if the funeral home’s records are at a different branch location than the one I contacted? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, it is common for funeral home paperwork to be kept at the branch that handled the arrangements, even if a different branch answered the first call. Usually, the branch…
What happens if the trustee has a conflict of interest because they are related to other beneficiaries or the executor? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a trustee can be related to other beneficiaries (or to the estate’s executor) and still serve, but the trustee must administer the trust solely for the beneficiaries’…
Can I force someone to file the will with the court if they are holding it? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, an interested person can ask the Clerk of Superior Court (Estates) to issue a summons ordering the person who has the will to bring it to the clerk for probate…
Can I challenge the trustee’s actions or ask the court to replace the trustee if I think the trust is being mishandled? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. Under North Carolina law, a trust beneficiary can ask the court to review a trustee’s conduct and, in the right case, remove and replace the trustee. Common…
What should I do if I was served with an order to appear and show cause for not filing an estate accounting? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an order to appear and show cause for a missing estate accounting is a serious warning from the Clerk of Superior Court that the required…
How do I get a copy of the funeral home invoice and proof of payment for the estate file? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the cleanest way to obtain a funeral home invoice and proof of payment for an estate file is to have the estate’s appointed personal representative (executor/administrator) request it…
Do I have to publish a new notice to creditors in the state where the property is located even if probate and creditor notice already happened in the home state? – North Carolina Short Answer Usually, yes. If an ancillary estate is opened in North Carolina to deal with North Carolina real property, the ancillary…
