How do I distribute assets through a will?

In North Carolina, distributing assets through a will is done legally through a process called probate. Probate is the court-supervised process that validates a will and leads to the distribution of a deceased person’s estate. In North Carolina, if the deceased person had a valid will, an executor is appointed by the court to administer the estate through the probate process. The executor is typically named in the will and is responsible for gathering all of the deceased person’s assets and debts. They must then file the will with the appropriate North Carolina county probate court. The court will then require the executor to provide proof of the deceased person’s death and the will’s validity. Once the probate process is complete, the executor can start paying off debts and distributing assets to the beneficiaries named in the will. In North Carolina, executors are legally required to distribute the assets as spelled out in the will. They must follow the order listed in the will when distributing assets and must ensure all debts are paid first. Once the assets have been distributed, the executor will need to file a petition to close the estate. This must be done within 10 months of the deceased person’s passing. The probate court will then review the paperwork and signature off on the closure of the estate. The executor can then be released of their duty as executor.

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