Probate & Estate Law
Our probate attorneys represent estate executors, administrators, and heirs all over the State of North Carolina with Estate Administration cases.
Why Hire a Probate Lawyer?
The probate process can take a long time to conclude with various legal implications you may not be equipped for in North Carolina making it very complicated and more drawn out. For example, there may be probate tax and debt liabilities that cannot be covered by the remaining estate. If you find that you need help with the administration of a loved one’s estate, we’d like you to consider Hopler, Wilms, & Hanna.
Take Action Now to Avoid Probate
You can hire a probate lawyer to establish the legal requirements for probate avoidance. For example, a Living Trust can be filed to allow probate property and real estate to be distributed to heirs by the trustee. Probate cost is thus also avoided. There are other probate avoidance strategies such as gifting and joint ownership that you can be advised on to stay within the boundaries of the law.
What we do
Legal Services
Litigation Legal Services
Your Beneficiary Rights During Estate Administration
As a beneficiary of an estate, you often have to patiently wait while the personal representative handles the various tasks involved in administering an estate. Hopefully, the executor regularly communicates with you or at least answers the occasional call or email with a request for an update. Often, however, months (or perhaps years) can go by without hearing anything. And, often, the beneficiary’s calls get unanswered, or worse, are met with hostility.
Estate Administration Services
- Making sure the executor complies with NC Law
- Making sure the executor meets Estate Department Deadlines
- Record keeping to comply with Clerk and AOC Audits
- Keeping the liability of an executor to a minimum
- Resolving and litigating Estate Disputes
- Resolving and litigating Creditor Claims
- Mediating Estate Disputes
- Complying with the Will
- Following the law of Intestacy in NC
- Preparing the application for letters
- Preparing an inventory
- Preparing annual and final accounts
- Probate of Wills / Litigation and Will Contests
- Tax Planning
- Representation in Hearings before the Clerk of Superior Court
…and a lot more.
How do You Lawfully Transfer the Title of a Vehicle Someone Left Behind?
Over and over, I see that people follow the first piece of advice they are given by a layperson or by the person on the other side of the desk at the DMV. It is important to carefully consider your options on how to cause a lawful transfer of title. It is entirely possible that you will create numerous additional problems if you choose the wrong option.
Hopler, Wilms, & Hanna is a North Carolina
Based Estate Administration Law Firm.
We help executors, administrators, and beneficiaries navigate the probate process by handling the filing of necessary documents to open estates, probate wills, file an inventory, file annual accounting and final accounting, and handle the payment of creditors. We also represent individuals in Estate Litigation.
We are a full-service Estate Administration firm serving North Carolina with offices in Durham and Sanford, NC.
We offer reasonable pricing, years of experience, and flexibility to meet the varying needs of our clients.
