A payable-on-death account, also called a POD account, is a common way to keep bank and investment accounts out of probate, the court-supervised process that oversees distributing a deceased person's property. Most people want to avoid their estate going through probate because their heirs wi...

A complete estate plan must include certain essential parts. In fact, it is similar to building a snowman in some respects. The traditional snowman has several critical components: bottom, middle, and top snowballs, as well as “arms” and a “face.” If any of these are left out, the snowman can...

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...

This year is quickly coming to a close. For many of us, December 31 cannot come soon enough, as 2020 has been anything but a walk in the park. The first quarter of 2020 brought a worldwide pandemic. Not only did this raise concerns about everyone's health and safety, but it also fundamentally ...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

Estate planning is the process of developing a strategy for the care and management of your estate if you become incapacitated or upon your death. One commonly known purpose of estate planning is to minimize taxes and costs, including taxes imposed on gifts, estates, generation-skipping trans...

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...

As a Marietta will lawyer, I often find that people associate the phrase “estate planning” with the task of making final plans and ensuring that loved ones are provided for after death. While we all want to make sure that our families are taken care of when we're no longer with them, planning...

Many parents are uncomfortable talking to their kids about their wealth.  Talking about how much money or property you have is usually viewed as taboo.  Asking someone else about what they have is often considered impolite. But failing to talk to kids about how much they may inherit could lea...

Two of the most uncomfortable topics for almost any family to discuss are money and death. As a result, conversations about estate planning often don't happen until it's too late.  As a Marietta probate lawyer, I realize that there is never an easy time to bring up such sensitive topics, but ...

Millennials include fiscally conservative, savings oriented, and future planners seeking financial freedom as core attributes. A large part of millennials' formative years was influenced by the US sub-prime mortgage crisis beginning in 2007, shortly followed by an international banking crisis...

The sudden rise of the coronavirus, COVID-19, has left many unprepared and confused. There are numerous reports of shortages of antibacterial hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, and even toilet paper. While we can't predict when something like COVID-19 might strike, we can take steps to prepa...

Estate planning isn't just for older people, couples with children, or individuals with a lot of financial wealth. Single people, young adults, and those with a modest income can also benefit from estate planning. As a Marietta will and trust lawyer, I believe there are five essential items tha...

The short answer: Both share similar concerns. The longer answer? The differences make all the difference.  The Concerns are Similar  No matter what age we're in, life can deliver some hard knocks. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. We can get into accidents, especially when we're ...

Tomorrow, March 8, it will be time to “spring forward” with the change to daylight savings time.  While it's no fun losing an hour of sleep, it is always a nice reminder the long days of summer are ahead.  I'd also like to remind you all the there are other ways to “spring forward” and take ot...

Most older adults believe that it's easier for everyone involved – loved ones, beneficiaries, and executors – if they transfer full or partial ownership of their home prior to their passing. However, Marietta GA elder law attorneys will caution you that there are several risks to consider when ...

Here at Georgia Estate Plan: Worrall Law LLC, we are following the news about Coronavirus and a second burst of the traditional flu that's impacting people in our community. While we don't believe that anyone should panic, we do want to encourage anyone with older or immuno-compromised loved o...

Successfully addressing and legally formalizing inheritance of family values and assets can be challenging, especially if parents wait too long to begin instilling family values. Undoubtedly the best time to teach and empower your children as eventual inheritors of your family legacy is during ...