Explore our informative articles, insights, and updates focused on North Carolina Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Partition Actions, and Surplus Fund cases. Our goal is to make these complex topics accessible, offering you guidance and understanding at each step of the legal process. Whether you’re looking to navigate probate administration, protect your assets through careful planning, understand partition actions, or resolve issues with surplus funds, our articles are designed to empower you with practical advice, legal insights, and actionable steps. Stay informed and feel confident as you make decisions about your estate and legal matters.
What is the process to open my late spouse’s probate estate in North Carolina so I can pursue a Camp Lejeune claim? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you must ask the Clerk of Superior Court to appoint you as the estate’s personal representative (executor if there is a will, administrator if there…
Can I challenge the administrator’s claim to ownership in the real property I’m entitled to inherit? — North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, title to a decedent’s real estate vests in the heirs at death (or in devisees once the will is probated, relating back to death), not in the administrator. If an…
How can I force a private sale of inherited land that I co-own with other heirs? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you start a partition proceeding with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the land sits. If a physical split (partition in kind) is unfair or impractical, the court…
What happens to the surplus proceeds when a property owner dies without a will and siblings are involved? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, surplus money from a court or foreclosure sale is first used to pay any lower‑priority lienholders and approved estate expenses and claims. If the owner died without a will…
Can I assert a right of survivorship interest under the deed to get a larger share of the surplus funds? — North Carolina Short Answer Yes—if your deed clearly created a right of survivorship (for example, a deed to spouses as tenants by the entirety or a deed stating “joint tenants with right of survivorship”),…
What steps do I need to file a motion to determine my right to surplus money after my mom’s property was foreclosed? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, any surplus from a foreclosure sale is paid first to junior lienholders in order of priority and then to the owner (or the owner’s estate).…
How can I claim surplus funds from a tax foreclosure sale on my mother’s house in North Carolina? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, any money left over after a tax foreclosure sale—after taxes, costs, and valid liens are paid—is called “surplus” and generally belongs to the property owner. If the owner has…
How do I document a repossessed vehicle when settling a loved one’s estate? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, list any vehicle the decedent owned on the date of death in the 90‑day inventory with its fair‑market value and full identifying details, even if a lender later repossesses it. Keep the lender’s repo…
Can funds held in trust be released if the deed hasn’t been recorded yet? — North Carolina Short Answer Generally, no. In North Carolina, a settlement agent should not disburse real estate closing funds from a trust/escrow account until the deed (and any deed of trust) is recorded and funds are collected. This protects title…
Can I amend the probate inventory to reflect lower values for estate cars sold in poor condition? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the probate inventory must show each asset’s fair market value as of the date of death. You may file a supplemental inventory to correct a value that was erroneous or…
What happens if my sibling claims I mismanaged estate assets because I sold our dad’s car? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a qualified personal representative (executor or administrator) may sell a decedent’s personal property, including a car, without a court order so long as they act prudently, avoid self-dealing, and deposit the…
What is the process for transfering my parent’s car title to my other parent in a small estate when we don’t have the original title? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you can usually retitle a deceased parent’s car to the surviving parent without a full probate by using one of three small‑estate…
How do I challenge or dismiss a petition for possession and control of estate property in probate? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you challenge a petition by filing a timely written response and appearing at the clerk’s hearing to contest the petitioner’s proof. For real estate, the personal representative (PR) must show…
Should we open probate in Virginia or North Carolina if my parent died in Virginia but was living in North Carolina? — North Carolina Short Answer If your parent was domiciled (had their permanent home) in North Carolina at death, open the primary probate in North Carolina, even if the death occurred in Virginia. If…
How can I challenge the final accounting my sibling filed in my parent’s estate when no one gave me notice in North Carolina? Short Answer In North Carolina, notice of a proposed final account is optional. If you did not receive formal service of a proposed final account, you have not waived objections. You can…
What is the process for contesting the estate accounting more than a year after it’s been approved in North Carolina? — North Carolina Short Answer After a final account is approved, you generally cannot appeal it if more than 10 days have passed. More than a year later, your options are to ask the clerk…
How can I probate a copy of a will without it being presumed revoked? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you can probate a copy of a lost or destroyed will by asking the clerk of superior court to admit the copy under the “lost will” process. You must prove, with clear, strong,…
What steps do I need to clear creditor claims before selling my parent’s estate home? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the personal representative (PR) must publish and mail a Notice to Creditors, wait out the claims period, review and prioritize any claims, and only then use estate assets—if needed, through a court-authorized…
Can I get reimbursed for the mortgage payments I’ve made to preserve the estate property? — North Carolina Short Answer Sometimes. In North Carolina, real estate usually passes to the heirs at death, and they—not the estate—are generally responsible for post‑death costs like the mortgage, taxes, and insurance. Reimbursement from the estate is possible when…
What happens to the leftover sale proceeds in North Carolina if someone dies without a will? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, after a court-authorized sale of a deceased person’s real estate, the net proceeds first pay any liens on the property and then valid estate expenses and debts in statutory order. Any…