News and Articles

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Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

Do we need written payoff instructions or confirmation from the inheritance-advance company before mailing an overnight check? nc

Do we need written payoff instructions or confirmation from the inheritance-advance company before mailing an overnight check? – North Carolina Short Answer North Carolina law does not require a special “payoff letter” from an inheritance-advance company before an estate mails a check. But as a practical matter, written payoff instructions (or written confirmation of the…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

What happens if the funeral bill is not fully paid when the estate is being handled? nc

What happens if the funeral bill is not fully paid when the estate is being handled? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an unpaid funeral bill is a claim against the estate, and the personal representative generally pays it from estate funds before most other debts. If the estate does not have enough…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

How can I verify whether a property is owned individually or jointly before the estate is settled? nc

How can I verify whether a property is owned individually or jointly before the estate is settled? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the most reliable way to verify whether a deceased parent owned real property individually or jointly is to review the most recent recorded deed (and related recorded documents) in the…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

What happens if a family member claims I pressured my parent into signing a will, especially when my parent had dementia or Alzheimer’s? nc

What happens if a family member claims I pressured my parent into signing a will, especially when my parent had dementia or Alzheimer’s? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a family member can challenge a will by filing a “caveat” and arguing the will is invalid because the parent lacked testamentary capacity or…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

If a non-spouse partner wants to keep one of the deceased’s vehicles, how is that handled in probate and does it reduce what the heirs receive? nc

If a non-spouse partner wants to keep one of the deceased’s vehicles, how is that handled in probate and does it reduce what the heirs receive? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina probate, a non-spouse partner generally does not have an automatic right to keep a deceased person’s vehicle unless the partner already…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

What happens to a trust when the person who created it dies? nc

What happens to a trust when the person who created it dies? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, when the person who created a revocable trust dies, the trust typically becomes irrevocable and the successor trustee takes over. The trustee’s job is to gather and manage the trust assets, pay proper expenses and…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

How can I transfer the vehicles and access the bank account while making sure the land goes to the relatives who live on it? nc

How can I transfer the vehicles and access the bank account while making sure the land goes to the relatives who live on it? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, when someone dies without a will, the land and other property generally pass to the legal heirs set by the intestacy statutes—not to…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

Can I object if someone else files to become the executor or administrator of the estate? nc

Can I object if someone else files to become the executor or administrator of the estate? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, objections usually happen in front of the Clerk of Superior Court and depend on whether there is a will and who has legal priority to serve. If the dispute is…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

How long do I have to take legal action to recover my share after the estate property was sold? nc

How long do I have to take legal action to recover my share after the estate property was sold? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the time limit depends on what legal claim fits the situation and, in some cases, when the executor’s final account is filed or when the estate is closed.…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

What happens if someone used a power of attorney before the death to close bank accounts or move money, and now the family can’t get records? nc

What happens if someone used a power of attorney before the death to close bank accounts or move money, and now the family can’t get records? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a power of attorney (POA) generally allows an agent to act for the person while that person is alive, but it…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

Do I need to go to probate to settle an estate, or are there ways to avoid it? nc

Do I need to go to probate to settle an estate, or are there ways to avoid it? – North Carolina Short Answer Not every North Carolina estate requires a full probate administration. Some assets pass automatically outside probate (for example, by beneficiary designation or survivorship), and some estates qualify for simplified court procedures through…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

What are the consequences if I don’t reformat and resubmit the accounting the way the clerk’s office is requesting? nc

What are the consequences if I don’t reformat and resubmit the accounting the way the clerk’s office is requesting? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina probate, if the Clerk of Superior Court determines an estate accounting is incomplete or unsatisfactory, the clerk can require a corrected accounting and set a deadline to file…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

Can the clerk require a revised order for commissions before approving the estate accounting? nc

Can the clerk require a revised order for commissions before approving the estate accounting? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, the Clerk of Superior Court can require corrections to an estate accounting and can decline to approve a final (or annual) account if the commission calculation is incorrect or unsupported. Because personal…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

What happens if I can’t find current mailing addresses for my spouse’s children to give them notice? nc

What happens if I can’t find current mailing addresses for my spouse’s children to give them notice? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a case usually does not stop just because current mailing addresses for a spouse’s children are missing. The court typically expects a documented, good-faith search for addresses first, and then—if…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

How do I find out if Medicaid filed a claim against the estate after someone dies? nc

How do I find out if Medicaid filed a claim against the estate after someone dies? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, Medicaid estate recovery is usually handled as a creditor claim by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The most reliable way to confirm whether a claim was…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

What are the consequences if we can’t reach an agreement and have to ask the court to step in to force a sale or bring the property into the estate? nc

What are the consequences if we can’t reach an agreement and have to ask the court to step in to force a sale or bring the property into the estate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, if heirs cannot agree, the dispute often shifts into a court-supervised process that can (1) force a…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

How can we challenge a joint bank account change if the account holder had dementia and may not have understood what they signed? nc

How can we challenge a joint bank account change if the account holder had dementia and may not have understood what they signed? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a joint account with right of survivorship can move money outside the will, so a late-in-life change can matter a lot. A challenge usually…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

If the estate was already handled abroad, can I still do an ancillary probate in the U.S. just to collect U.S. bank accounts? nc

If the estate was already handled abroad, can I still do an ancillary probate in the U.S. just to collect U.S. bank accounts? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. Even if an estate was opened and closed in another country, North Carolina can still require a North Carolina estate proceeding (often called an ancillary estate)…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

Who is legally entitled to the money in the U.S. accounts if there is a will, but I haven’t seen the will myself? nc

Who is legally entitled to the money in the U.S. accounts if there is a will, but I haven’t seen the will myself? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, money in a deceased person’s bank accounts with no named beneficiary is usually paid to the person legally authorized to act for the estate…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

Can I access or get information about my spouse’s bank accounts if some were joint accounts or were changed shortly before death? nc

Can I access or get information about my spouse’s bank accounts if some were joint accounts or were changed shortly before death? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, access depends on how each account was titled and whether there was a survivorship or payable-on-death (POD) designation. A surviving joint owner can usually access…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

Can an insurance company reissue a returned check for an estate once the estate is opened? nc

Can an insurance company reissue a returned check for an estate once the estate is opened? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes, in North Carolina an insurance company can typically reissue a returned check once an estate is opened, but it will usually require proof of who has legal authority to receive the funds. In…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

After the estate account receives the remaining funds, what is the process for paying creditor claims and distributing what’s left to the heirs? nc

After the estate account receives the remaining funds, what is the process for paying creditor claims and distributing what’s left to the heirs? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, once estate funds are in the estate account, the personal representative generally pays valid estate expenses and creditor claims first, in the legal order…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

What can heirs do if they were never notified about a will being filed or an estate being opened until they heard through family? nc

What can heirs do if they were never notified about a will being filed or an estate being opened until they heard through family? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an heir who learns late that a will was filed or an estate was opened can usually start by getting the estate file…

Probate Q&A Series

Jan 23, 2026

How do I get an apostille for a death certificate and other probate documents from another country so I can use them in probate here? nc

How do I get an apostille for a death certificate and other probate documents from another country so I can use them in probate here? – North Carolina Short Answer For North Carolina probate, an apostille is usually obtained from the country that issued the death certificate or probate papers, not from North Carolina. In…