If a North Carolina resident dies without a will, state intestacy laws determine who receives the person’s property, which may not align with what the person would have wanted. The distribution depends on whether there is a surviving spouse, children, parents, or other relatives, and the shares can be more complex than many people expect. An intestate estate can also create additional time, expense, and conflict for the people left behind. One purpose of estate planning is to replace the default statutory scheme with a plan tailored to your wishes.
