Drafting a will can be an effective way to relay your wishes to your surviving family members after passing on. This document is enforceable but may lose significance if its content becomes outdated, invalid, or cause legal conflicts. Each state has varying...
ESTATE PLANNING – Wills
Do’s and don’ts when writing your last will and testament
In the event of death, your last will and testament may ensure that your beneficiaries will receive your assets accordingly. It’s an important legal document that must be valid so that the courts will accept it. In Georgia, a competent person aged at least 14 can...
What does it mean to plan for incapacity?
Imagine a future where, due to unforeseen circumstances, you are unable to make decisions for yourself. While it is not a pleasant scenario to consider, it is a critical aspect of life planning that often goes overlooked. Planning for incapacity means taking proactive...
What is testamentary capacity?
When facing the loss of a loved one, the surviving family members and relatives are often responsible for tying up loose ends concerning the deceased's personal affairs. In this instance, a will can help guide them on what to do and how to proceed according to the...
Challenges for guardianship for special needs children
Special needs children have unique and distinct conditions. This involves medical, educational and emotional aspects. Unlike planning for typically developing children, their children must anticipate and address long-term challenges. They must recognize that their...
Are electronic wills enforceable in Georgia?
As our technology progresses, processes in various industries have changed as well. In the legal industry, creating contracts and legal documents has been easier with digital technology. In estate planning, this change now allows testators to electronically create...
Avoid these mistakes when creating your will
You might think that creating a will is easy, and it can be. But you shouldn’t just throw one together to get the process over with quickly. You need to take time and exercise care when creating your will so that you get what you want out of it. When you do so,...
Do Georgia wills have to be notarized?
A will is one of the most common estate planning tools, giving the testator the power to decide how their administrator will distribute their properties when they die. Since it is a legal document, many may wonder whether a will’s notarization is necessary for it to...
Contesting a will in Georgia
Most Georgians believe that signing a valid will is tantamount to eliminating all disputes regarding the distribution of the maker’s assets. While this is mostly the case, a few wills can lead to more, not less, controversy among a person’s heirs about the...
What happens if I die without a will in Georgia?
If you are a resident of Georgia and you pass away without a valid will, you may leave your loved ones with a lot of uncertainty and confusion. State law will decide how your property and assets will be distributed among your surviving relatives, regardless of your...