Annotate Legal North Carolina Probate Forms For Free

In our state, there must be a hard copy of the will, on paper, signed by the testator and two witnesses. Your will cannot be audio, video, or any other digital file. North Carolina does allow oral wills if the testator is deemed to be in their final illness or in imminent peril of death.

You should bring: (1) the will if there was one, (2) a certified death certificate, (3) an application and preliminary inventory of the decedent's property; and (4) a $120 filing fee. Forms needed may be obtained from the clerk of court's office or on this website.

How Much Does a Probate Lawyer Cost in North Carolina? Because probate attorney fees in North Carolina will vary, it's difficult to give an exact estimate. Most probate attorneys bill hourly, and fees can often run anywhere from $2,000 - $10,000 or more, depending on how complex the estate is.

Assuming an attorney has reviewed the estate assets and has determined an estate will need to be opened for the assets to be distributed, there are fortunately statutes in place that allow the probate of a copy of the will. However extra steps will be necessary for the executor.

The application must be submitted along with the will (if there is one), a preliminary inventory of the estate and a certified copy of the deceased's death certificate. The fee to open an estate is $120. Both executors and administrators are known as ?personal representative? of the estate.

The process for probate in North Carolina is necessary in every situation after a person dies. However, working with a wills and estate planning attorney from the beginning of the process can make this legal step much easier.