Intestate refers to dying without having a valid will. Based on the law of inheritance, intestate succession is what happens to property that has not been distributed by a legal will or other binding declaration. In North Carolina, if you die without a valid will, the state intestacy law will apply....

Before we discuss what is a living trust, let’s first discuss what is a trust. A trust is an estate planning tool where you retitle your assets from your name to the name of the trust. Once the assets are retitled to the name of the trust, the assets are governed...