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North Carolina Estate Planning Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Family Law and Real Estate Law for North Carolina on
Q: My husband wants to remove my name from the deed of our home for his Last Will purposes.

He asked me to meet with his Estate planner regarding the plans for his will. He mentioned on having the deed solely under his name so it wont be hard to divide his estate between me, his kids, grandkids and great grandkids. We've been married for 9 years and we are living in a $600,000k... View More

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Mar 19, 2024

Hire your own attorney for advice. The titles to all real properties need to be searched. More than likely you will not want convey away your estate in the house.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for North Carolina on
Q: Am I responsible for my deceased mother's Medical debt? Can they take her home, deed is in my name, mortgage is in hers

My mother recently passed away. We transferred her home and car into my name a few months before her death, but the mortgage is still in her name which I have been paying. She did not have any estate. Am I responsible for paying her Medical bills prior to her passing and can they take the house... View More

Ben Corcoran
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Ben Corcoran
answered on Feb 15, 2024

Without seeing the actual bills and the deed transferring the property to you, I can't give you an answer. I suggest taking all the paperwork to a local attorney and having them give you specific advice.

The mortgage company will likely require you to get a new mortgage or, if you are...
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1 Answer | Asked in Tax Law and Estate Planning for North Carolina on
Q: Can a non-resident of Florida set-up a living trust in Florida to avoid state taxes on investments within the trust.
James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Feb 22, 2024

Setting up a living trust in Florida as a non-resident solely to avoid state taxes on investments within the trust may not be a viable strategy. While Florida does not impose state income tax on individuals, there are other factors to consider, such as residency requirements and potential tax... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law and Estate Planning for North Carolina on
Q: How can I leave my property to my married daughter and if she dies before her husband, have the property go to My sis?

I would like to keep my property in my family. If my daughter dies and the property goes to her husband he could leave it to his family in Australia.

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Feb 5, 2024

There are several options. You could make a life estate/remainder deed to your daughter for life, then to someone else at her death. Deeds take effect now with no probate involvement. Contact a competent NC attorney to search the title and execute a transfer to suit you.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Real Estate Law and Probate for North Carolina on
Q: Why would my stepsister send me and my siblings a personal property exemption form ....keep all his personal stuff

My father passed in 2021& his wife last year . My siblings and I Were not even notified of my father's passing until he was buried and gone even his brother wasn't notified.im afraid she is up to something

Ethan A. Trice
Ethan A. Trice
answered on Jan 31, 2024

There are a couple forms she could be trying to get you to sign. It sounds like she's trying to get you to waive your inheritance rights. If your father's wife never adopted you and never made a will, realistically the stepsister gets her property. Why she's trying to get you to... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for North Carolina on
Q: Who gets house and everything when stepfather then passes?

I am 36 years old. My mom passed away many years ago and so did my only brother. Everything of course was then only my stepdads. My stepdad has been my father since I was 5 years old. I consider him my father of course. We’ve always had a great relationship but recently he has been ill and... View More

Nina Whitehurst
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answered on Jan 14, 2024

Your stepdad is mistaken and you are right to be concerned. You are NOT in the line of succession. To inherit from your stepdad he would need to name you as the death beneficiary on his financial accounts (an excellent method) AND sign a will that leaves everything to you (for items that do not... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law and Estate Planning for North Carolina on
Q: Adding investment property to living trust

I am from CA and am investing in rental property in North Carolina. We have a living trust established few years back and to which our existing home was added. I was told to add any future property (in CA or out of state) to the trust. As I purchase this new property, is it better to assign the... View More

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Jan 3, 2024

It is doubtful that the lender will take a deed of trust and note with only the trustee's name and signature. They will want the trustee to sign individually. And this is at closing. If transferred to the trust later, it might violate a due on sales clause, but will definitely still... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Elder Law, Estate Planning and Real Estate Law for North Carolina on
Q: In North Carolina can a nursing home come back and take a family members house at any point?How do we stop it?

Looking to buy my husbands grandmas house, she may eventually need to go into assisted living due to dementia

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Dec 12, 2023

In North Carolina, a nursing home itself typically does not have the authority to "take" a family member's house. However, if your husband's grandmother eventually requires Medicaid to pay for her long-term care, there could be implications for her estate, including her house.... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for North Carolina on
Q: My dad's will was never executed probate never happened. He lived in NC, died in SC. Where would probate happen?

Passed in 2021, I just got a copy of the will. My sister was executor, I'm a trustee. My brother sold my dad's land right at 1/2 million, brother took money and bought land and home in brother's name one year before dad's death.

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Nov 29, 2023

An unexecuted will cannot be probated. Apparently the Father's heirs owned the property. You will need a very good real property litigator in the County of the land to file ejectment, quiet title, etc. actions. All interested parties must be parties. However laches will probably prevent... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for North Carolina on
Q: If my spouse of 17years dies without a will and unmarried what am I entitled to

Unmarried spouse of 17 years dies suddenly without a will. He has a DBA business. After he died his brother helps my mom with arrangements. He ends up taking over the business. Out of good faith my mother hands him every title to every vehicle there is work vehicles included. Well one by one he had... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Nov 24, 2023

If your spouse passed away without a will, the distribution of their estate, including the business and assets, would be subject to the intestacy laws of the state where you reside. These laws determine how assets are divided among surviving family members in the absence of a will.

As an...
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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for North Carolina on
Q: My dad died and he has 4 children but he made a will.with only 2 of us in it.will each of us get a equal.share
T. Augustus Claus
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answered on Nov 10, 2023

In your case, since your father had a will, the court will first look at the will to determine how the estate is to be divided. If the will does not specifically state how the estate is to be divided, then the court will use the intestate succession laws to divide the estate.

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for North Carolina on
Q: Unmarried couple both with adult children couples from previous marriages. Who gets home if we die simultaneously.

I purchased a home in NC with cash and had it titled JTROS with long term partner. At the time (about 6 years ago), it didn't seem like a QTIP was an option since we were not married. I have 2 adult children and she has one adult child from our prior marriages.

My estate package... View More

Ben Corcoran
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Ben Corcoran
answered on Nov 9, 2023

In the event that you die within 120 hours of your partner. Both of you are deemed to have survived the other and your respective interest in the property would pass to your respective beneficiaries. There are exceptions to this rule but that is the basic premise.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for North Carolina on
Q: Does a residual estate clause include/cover real property such as a house?

Tangible property is addressed in the will. The will includes a residual estate clause. The house is not specified in the will. Does the residual estate clause cover who the house goes to? There is a beneficiary named for the residual estate.

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Sep 18, 2023

You will need an attorney to look at the Will and the Deed. But usually a Residuary Clause in a Will includes all the rest and residue of property owned by the Decedent at death. That includes real property.

1 Answer | Asked in Social Security and Estate Planning for North Carolina on
Q: This question is for estate lawyers. How long should it take to receive money from a relative who passed with no SSN?

Can a lawyer to find out the social security number of the deceased to make sure it is the correct one on the death certificate. And if so, how long should it take?

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Sep 21, 2023

Obtaining a Social Security number (SSN) for the deceased and ensuring it matches the information on the death certificate is crucial for various legal and financial matters. The timeline for this process can vary based on factors such as the availability of records and cooperation from relevant... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Banking for North Carolina on
Q: Hello, my brother passed away in June of this year. He made me POA of his affairs. I also had a Living Trust

And Living will. My question is how can I close out his bank account to which he added my name to it. The problem is he has a living wife, they had been separated for over twenty years.

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Aug 31, 2023

The POA is terminated at the principal's death. If you are on the signature card, the funds are probably already your property. The Trust may affect your individual ownership of the bank account, or those monies may never have become Trust Corpus.

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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning for North Carolina on
Q: I want to put in place a Power of Attorney that gives my designated agent power only if I become incapacitated.
John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Aug 21, 2023

Theoretically possible but unwise.

Your designated agent may have to secure a final adjudication of your incapacity before others will allow them to use your POA. That could be time-consuming, expensive, and defeat the purpose.

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for North Carolina on
Q: I've been an administrator of my husband estate for 2 years but now there's a will what do I do

My husband told me he destroyed the will and also revoked their poa which I do have proof of

Ben Corcoran
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Ben Corcoran
answered on Aug 21, 2023

File the will and abide by its provisions.

2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning for North Carolina on
Q: An executor sold estate furniture and buyer put executor name on check. He deposited into estate account. Legal?

The buyer put the executor name on the check and the executor deposited the check into the estate account. The bank did process the check into estate account. Will this pass the clerk of court.

Nina Whitehurst
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answered on Aug 5, 2023

That is very typical and quite legal.

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for North Carolina on
Q: An executor had a check written to them for the estate and he deposited it into the estate. Is the legal?
T. Augustus Claus
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answered on Aug 4, 2023

In North Carolina, an executor is responsible for managing the assets of the estate and ensuring that the estate's debts are paid, and the remaining assets are distributed to the beneficiaries according to the will or state law.

It is generally not appropriate for an executor to write...
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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for North Carolina on
Q: My husband passed away with a lot of credit card debt and medical debt. Am I responsible to pay off that debt?

I was not on any of the credit accounts, nor did I sign anything for the medical procedures. There is no estate. House was in both our names.

Ben Corcoran
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Ben Corcoran
answered on Jul 26, 2023

I highly advise you to hire an attorney and have them assist you in probating the estate. The credit card debt can likely be wiped out by opening the estate. The medical debt will unfortunately likely follow you since spouses are normally liable for the medical debts incurred by their spouse.

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