Why Do I Need a Will?
If you don’t have a will, the State has decided how your assets will be distributed when you die. If you have minor children, you could be required to render an annual accounting of the assets that go to your children and the courts will decide who will be the guardian of your children. A will puts you in charge; you direct how your assets will be distributed and you can designate who will be the guardian of your children.
Estate Planning, Wills and Probate Services
We have over 30 years experience helping our clients plan their estates and prepare wills, from the simple to the complex, health care directives, powers of attorney, and trusts. We are glad to work with your financial planner, life insurance agent, and banking representative in preparing an estate plan for you. We also assist in the probate of wills for our clients in the Metropolitan Atlanta area, including Fulton County, Cobb County, DeKalb County, Gwinnett County, Clayton County, and Dawson County.
Things You Should Know About Estate Planning
• If you designate a person as the beneficiary in a life insurance policy, or have a checking account or certificate of deposit that is payable on death to someone, the money will pass to the person “outside the will” – no longer controlled by what you put in your will. It is important to check the exact wording of your beneficiary designations on such documents and not rely upon your memory. Your entire plan can be ruined because you did not check the exact beneficiary designations.
• In Georgia, the probate filing expenses are fixed; they are not dependent upon the size of your estate. This eliminates one of the big reasons for trying to avoid probate.
• If you have children, you should bring them into the planning discussion. If your children are involved, there is less likelihood of any misunderstandings.
• In addition to planning for when you are going to die, you also have to plan for living; how are you going to meet your long-term health care needs if you become incapable of caring for yourself or are unable to make your own decisions.