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 legal rights do I have as a surviving spouse in North Carolina when my spouse died without a will and their family cut me out of decisions? — North Carolina Short Answer Under North Carolina law, a surviving spouse has automatic rights even if there is no will. You are entitled to an intestate…
How do I get appointed as the estate administrator in North Carolina when my spouse died intestate and their family won’t cooperate? Short Answer In North Carolina, the surviving spouse has first priority to serve as administrator when someone dies without a will. You apply with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county of…
Can I have a guardian ad litem appointed for unknown or unlocatable heirs in a partition action? — North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In a North Carolina partition action, the clerk of superior court can appoint a guardian ad litem (GAL) to represent heirs or co-owners whose identities or locations are unknown after you show…
How can I claim surplus funds after a foreclosure of my deceased parent’s property when their estate was never probated? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, any surplus from a power-of-sale foreclosure must be paid to the person entitled after costs, the foreclosing debt, and junior liens are satisfied. If the owner has…
What steps do I need to file the special proceeding notice to recover foreclosure surplus funds? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, surplus funds from a power-of-sale foreclosure are deposited with the Clerk of Superior Court after the sale becomes final. To claim them, you open a new special proceeding (SP) file, file…
Do I need to open a probate estate before I can recover surplus funds? — North Carolina Short Answer Not always. In North Carolina, if the former owner is alive, they can usually claim foreclosure surplus funds directly through the foreclosure file without opening probate. If the owner has died, someone with legal authority must…
How do I transfer my inherited membership interest in a single-member LLC after probate? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a deceased owner’s LLC membership interest is personal property that passes into the estate and is managed by the personal representative (PR). After debts and expenses are handled, the PR can distribute the…
What paperwork from the Secretary of State do I need to show the bank to confirm my family member was the sole member of his LLC? — North Carolina Short Answer North Carolina Secretary of State records alone rarely prove who owns an LLC. They show the company’s formation, status, registered agent, and sometimes managers,…
Can I ask the court to demand an accounting of all the estate assets and transactions during probate? — North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, any creditor or other interested party (such as an heir or beneficiary) may ask the Clerk of Superior Court to order the personal representative to file or correct…
How can I confirm my percentage of ownership rights to my parents’ real property before it is sold? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, your share depends on the deed and, if a parent has died, the will or the intestacy rules. Start by pulling the most recent deed and the probate file…
How do I start a partition lawsuit to split our inherited land when my relatives won’t agree? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you start a partition case by filing a special proceeding with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the land sits. You must name and serve all co-owners…
How do I qualify as the administrator of my sibling’s estate in North Carolina if they died without a will? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a sibling can qualify to serve as administrator if they are eligible, no one with higher priority applies, and any equal‑priority heirs consent or receive proper notice.…
What information and documents do I need to provide my lawyer with to begin a partition case? — North Carolina Short Answer To start a North Carolina partition case, your lawyer needs proof of ownership, details on every co-owner, and a clear description of the property. Bring the deed, tax card or parcel ID, any…
Can I recover the funeral expenses and other costs I paid out before the estate is settled? — North Carolina Short Answer Yes—North Carolina law allows reimbursement from the estate for reasonable funeral costs and certain other expenses you advanced. Funeral expenses up to $3,500 receive priority payment, and reasonable gravestone and burial place costs…
What steps are involved in dividing or forcing the sale of co-owned farmland? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a co-owner starts a partition proceeding with the clerk of superior court in the county where the farm sits. The court will first consider dividing the land among the co-owners (partition in kind); if…
What happens if his divorce wasn’t finalized—can his estranged spouse still claim under his estate? — North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, if a divorce was not finalized, the estranged spouse is still a “surviving spouse” and can claim from the estate. Depending on the situation, the spouse may receive an intestate share,…
Can a consent order be used to skip the court hearing and distribute the sale money by agreement? — North Carolina Short Answer Often, yes. In a North Carolina partition sale, if every party with a stake in the proceeds agrees, the clerk of superior court can enter a consent order after the sale is…
How can I get my share of the net proceeds after the partition sale of a co-owned house? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you receive your share only after the sale is confirmed by the court, the commissioner pays sale costs and any liens, and the clerk approves the distribution. Then the…
What steps do I need to take to re-record or update a joint survivorship deed after co-owners died? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you generally do not “re-record” a deed. If the property was held as joint tenants with right of survivorship (or by spouses as tenants by the entirety), title passes…
How do I force my sibling to give me a copy of our parents’ estate plan in North Carolina after he ignored my formal request? — North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, you can ask the court to compel production of a will and, if needed, the clerk can enforce compliance by civil contempt.…