Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in North Carolina

I don't know where your brother is at in NC. I can do a will for him for a reasonable fee provided that he is still mentally competent to make a will. Wills can be done at ant time up until the moment of death if person is competent. If I were him, I would get a letter from his doctor to that effect just to make sure that nobody could contest the will.

Your brother does not have a small estate if its $15,000. The limits are $10,000 in NC. If your brother owns the home free and clear, yes, he can deed it to anyone else and retain a life estate in himself. However, if the home is only valued at $15,000, my question would be is this a mobile home or a stick built home? If a regular home. then it is evidenced by a deed. If its a mobile home, then is it attached to the land such that it has a deed? If not, then it has a certificate of title. In such case, your brother would sign the certificate of title to someone else if he wanted to do that.

Please have your brother contact me at [email protected] if he is interested. Most things can be done via email, fax and phone. It will not be necessary for him to travel if this is a concern. In addition to a will, your brother should have a financial and healthcare power of attorney as well as a living will to make sure that someone is able to assist him if he is no longer able to manage his affairs or make health decisions.