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 documents will a court accept to link my grandparent’s prior business to properties and income acquired later? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina probate cases, a court or the clerk of superior court generally looks for a paper trail that connects the grandparent’s old business interest to later-acquired property or income. Typical…
Can I junk vehicles left to an heir, and how should the cash be recorded and distributed? – North Carolina Short Answer Under North Carolina probate law, a personal representative may sell or junk a vehicle that was specifically left to an heir if that heir agrees or if doing so is reasonably necessary for…
How should small items like a coin book or old firearm be valued and listed in the estate accounting? – North Carolina Short Answer Under North Carolina probate law, small tangible items must still be listed at their fair market value as of the date of death, but they do not always need to be…
Can the estate make a joint account co-owner return money to cover creditor claims, or is that their property now? – North Carolina Short Answer Under North Carolina law, a surviving joint account co-owner generally owns the account at death, but that ownership is not absolute. If the estate does not have enough probate assets…
How does a joint bank account with rights of survivorship affect what is part of the estate when there are unpaid debts? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, money in a true joint bank account with rights of survivorship usually passes directly to the surviving co-owner and is not a normal probate asset.…
Do we need to record a death certificate or an affidavit before closing so the deed can be conveyed without issues? – North Carolina Short Answer Under North Carolina law, when spouses hold title to real estate as tenants by the entirety and one spouse dies, full ownership passes automatically to the surviving spouse by…
How can we claim funds from a bank account that was only in the decedent’s name using a year’s allowance? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a surviving spouse (and qualifying minor children) can claim funds held in a bank account titled only in the decedent’s name by filing a petition for a…
What happens after the personal representative submits the final accounting to the court? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, after the personal representative files the final accounting with the clerk of superior court, the clerk reviews it, may request more information, and then either approves or rejects it. If approved, the clerk records…
How should I respond if a buyer or dealership asks for a power of attorney after the owner has died? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a buyer or dealership should not receive, and cannot use, a power of attorney from someone who has already died. Any power of attorney signed by the…
Can the estate pay for repairs like new batteries or towing before selling the vehicles? – North Carolina Short Answer Under North Carolina law, a duly appointed personal representative may generally use estate funds to pay reasonable costs needed to preserve and sell estate vehicles, such as towing, basic repairs, or new batteries. Those costs…
Do I need to file a final personal tax return for a deceased parent if they haven’t filed in recent years, and who signs it? – North Carolina Short Answer Under North Carolina law, the personal representative (executor or administrator) is generally responsible for filing a deceased person’s final individual income tax return if that…
How do I get back an original will I left with the clerk without a receipt, and is a death certificate enough? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an original will that a living person deposited with the clerk of superior court can be withdrawn only by the testator (the person who made…
What steps remain after the annual account is approved to file the final account and release final distributions? – North Carolina Short Answer Under North Carolina probate law, once the clerk approves the last annual account, the personal representative prepares and files a verified Final Account showing that all debts, expenses, and taxes have been…
What proof will a clerk accept to establish my marriage for a spousal year’s allowance when the death certificate is inaccurate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, the clerk of superior court must be satisfied that a valid marriage existed before assigning a spousal year’s allowance. If the death certificate wrongly lists “divorced,”…
How are due diligence funds typically divided among heirs when an estate property is under contract? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, due diligence money paid by a buyer for an estate-owned property is usually treated like an advance portion of the sale proceeds and belongs to the owners of the real estate…
How long does court approval of a probate final accounting usually take when there’s a backlog? – North Carolina Short Answer Under North Carolina law, there is no fixed number of days for the clerk of superior court to approve a probate final account, even when there is a backlog. Once a complete, well-documented final…
If a bank is about to release POD funds to me, what documents or records should I keep to protect myself against later challenges? – North Carolina Short Answer Under North Carolina law, payable-on-death (POD) funds belong to the named beneficiaries when the account owner dies, but those funds can still be reached later if…
What steps are involved if I decide to keep the house during probate, especially if the estate has debts? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, deciding to keep a house that is part of a probate estate starts with qualifying a personal representative, identifying all debts, and confirming whether the estate can pay…
What documents should I provide to a debt collector to justify a lower settlement offer, and is sharing the estate inventory appropriate? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina probate, a personal representative may share limited, targeted financial information with an unsecured creditor to support a lower settlement offer, but should do so carefully.…
How can I file an uncontested divorce when we’ve already agreed on custody, finances, and property but don’t have a written separation agreement? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, an uncontested “absolute divorce” is based on one year of separation and residency, not on having a written separation agreement. A complaint for absolute…