Small Estates: If the decedent’s assets total less than $20,000 (or $30,000 if the surviving spouse is the sole heir), you can typically file a “small estate affidavit” to bypass much of formal probate. Living Trusts: Property placed in a trust while someone was alive automatically transfers to the named beneficiaries, avoiding probate altogether. Joint Accounts & Payable-On-Death A... https://rockpointprobate.com/north-carolina-probate-law-and-how-it-works/