Mark Required Fields In Legal North Carolina Probate Forms For Free

The Probate Process in North Carolina A probate proceeding begins when the court appoints someone to handle the administration of estate, i.e. a personal representative. Often, the decedent will already have named the personal representative in his or her will.

Probate is generally required in North Carolina only when a decedent owned property in their name alone.

The personal representative has authority over all assets of the deceased person that go through probate; these assets make up the "probate estate." Probate assets typically include vehicles, real estate, bank and brokerage accounts, and personal belongings such as jewelry, furniture, art, and collections.

The personal representative has authority over all assets of the deceased person that go through probate; these assets make up the "probate estate." Probate assets typically include vehicles, real estate, bank and brokerage accounts, and personal belongings such as jewelry, furniture, art, and collections.

Such property may include life insurance policies, retirement accounts, joint bank accounts, and annuities. Land and houses generally are not administered through the probate estate unless the will provides otherwise or the sale of these assets is needed to pay estate debts.

This process applies to estates with personal property valued at $20,000, or $30,000 if the surviving spouse inherits everything under state law. North Carolina also has a simplified probate process called summary administration which applies if the surviving spouse is the sole heir.