If you're concerned that you or a loved one could become seriously ill or even worse due to the novel coronavirus, you're not alone. As we all collectively wait for the mass release of a vaccine, setting up an estate plan, or reviewing an older plan is an important step in making sure that you ...

I hope this blog post finds you well and excited for a new year. 2020 has been challenging (to say the least), and I'm looking forward to taking some much-needed time off over the holidays to decompress a little.  I'm also planning to spend some time organizing my year-end financials and set...

It's been quite the year, huh? Since COVID-19 took center stage, families with seniors have been scrambling to find ways to connect with their loved ones. And now, the holidays are upon us. What we really want to do is have a big family celebration where we can all cuddle up and drink hot cocoa...

As COVID-19 continues its rampant spread among nursing home residents and staff, valuable and accurate data pinpointing areas of concern is often rife with haphazard data collection providing skewed information. The most recent Kaiser Family Foundation data analysis indicates that federal polic...

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program available to individuals who meet certain asset requirements that help them pay for long-term care (LTC) costs. Long-term care often creates devastating financial impacts on Americans, particularly the elderly, and for those family members who lose ...

One of the most difficult decisions that parents of minor children have to make when creating their estate plans is choosing the person(s) they would want to raise their children if they were incapacitated or suddenly passed away.  In our office, we often find that the conversation starts with...

Let's be honest: a major obstacle to proper estate planning for many people is the cost. Sometimes it's hard to see how estate planning can save money, time, and headaches in the future when there's a significant price tag in the present. That's why Marietta estate planning lawyers want to le...

I read that when making a will, I could leave my property to my children “per stripes.” Why is the law talking about us like we're some kind of zebra?  The phrase is Latin and it is “per stirpes,” not “per stripes.” Some bits of property law are extremely ancient in origin and this is one of...

Estate planning—it is an incredibly important tool, not just for the uber wealthy or those thinking about retirement. On the contrary, estate planning is something every adult should do. Estate planning can help you accomplish any number of goals, including appointing guardians for minor childr...

View videos explaining the responsibilities and details of Guardianships and Conservatorships. Adults Guardianship and Conservatorship of Adults Video (English) Guardianship and Conservatorship of Adults Video (Spanish)   Minors Conservatorship of Minors Video (English) ...

Polling shows that the number one worry for Americans as they age is memory loss, outpacing fears of insufficient monies, and loneliness. The most prevalent among all dementia is Alzheimer's disease. According to the Alzheimer's Association Facts and Figures Report, Alzheimer's accounts for an ...

If our Marietta will and estate lawyers had a dollar for every time someone asked this question when creating an estate plan…  ... well, you get the point.  There's a common belief that if you want to disinherit someone, say an adult child, that you should leave them $1 and nothing more in ...

You should check your estate planning documents every so often, to make sure they're still good, especially with big life changes like births, marriages, divorces, and moving to another state. Children grow up, marriages dissolve, property gets sold, residences change. That's why we recommend t...

Probate in Cobb County is a process in which a court decides whether a will is valid or not. It's also legally required in most cases for the management and distribution of a decedent's assets with or without a will. This definition suggests that if you skip probate, there's no way to legally t...

A comprehensive advance directive for healthcare in Georgia, which is an essential part of your estate plan, includes what in the past were two separate documents:  A Living Will; and Healthcare Agent Designation  Another important document related to your health is a:  HIPAA Medical ...

Happy Independence Day! 2020 For today's episode of ☕ Lattes and Legacies ⚖️, a short presentation on the wills of some of our founding fathers.  If you are on Facebook, for more videos like this, please join our Facebook Group, ☕ Lattes and Legacies ⚖️ As we grow the audience, I will be posting...

With nearly every region in the country living under some type of "stay at home" or "shelter in place" order during the current novel coronavirus pandemic, it can be frustrating trying to adhere to these new rules. It's even more challenging for those of us who are responsible for making sure o...

It's graduation time, even though the ceremony may look a little different this year because of COVID-19, it still means your “baby” is all grown up and preparing to head out into the real world. But, before your child (or grandchild!) plans to head off for college or pursues other endeavors, i...

  Or, How to Protect Your Will From Unhappy Relatives Having an updated last will and testament is more important than ever, especially now. However, a will that is poorly created or not frequently updated can be vulnerable to contestation. What is contestation? It is the formal objection to ...

In light of the current pandemic, many Americans are becoming aware of the importance of creating or updating their estate planning documents. With the extension of some states' stay in place orders, it may be tempting to create your own documents all on your own. Whether you are considering ...

  Estate planning covers more than death and taxes; for many people, it's about maintaining their “voice” and clearly outlining their wishes in the event of incapacity or disability in Marietta. Far too many people assume that their loved ones know their wishes and are prepared to honor them if...

The medically recommended protocols for social distancing and government mandates that restrict large gatherings of Americans to slow the spread of the coronavirus are minimizing our abilities to interact with each other. This isolation holds especially true for those seniors who live alone or ...

If your legal documents have not been reviewed in more than three years (or you have never put any in place at all), you or your family may have BIG TROUBLE to deal with if you become sick or die . . . . Please read on. Join Attorney Steve Worrall for a free estate planning webinar, and discov...

Planning your estate is an important step in protecting your assets, your wishes, and the people that matter to you the most. There are a number of options available, as any estate planning lawyer can tell you. Do you need a will?  A trust?  Is it possible that you don't need either? It's very...

There has been an explosion in the numbers of Americans rushing to make their will online. Understandably, the coronavirus pandemic has created the scramble to set up wills and end-of-life-directives. However, online do it yourself (DIY) wills are often deemed invalid as they do not comply wi...