Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in North Carolina

Given the size of your estate and your situation, I would strongly suggest consulting with an estate planning attorney in your area as soon as possible. This is not the right forum for that complicated a question and you should not attempt self help. Hopefully your husband still has the capacity to be able to sign documents.

A power of attorney's effectiveness depends on the wording of the power of attorney. Some require the principal to be incompetent and some are effective immediately. Again, this would be something you would want to have an estate planning attorney draw up.

As far as the business, again consult with an attorney but there is no reason a business cannot keep on operating. The answer to what you should do may depend on whether the business is a corporation, LLC or some other entity, what the bylaws, shareholder agreement and/or operating agreement says, what resolutions have been in effect, what the latest annual report says, what you are trying to accomplish, etc.

Best of luck.