Avoiding Probate. Probate, the court-supervised process of distributing your estate, can be time-consuming and expensive. You can minimize the assets that need to pass through probate or eliminate probate altogether by using certain devices such as: Revocable living trusts. Joint tenancie...

A revocable living trust is a trust that you create to hold your property while you are alive and to distribute it among your beneficiaries on your death. The three main reasons for using a living trust (rather than a will) as the central feature of your estate plan are to (1) avoid probate, ...

WHAT IS PROBATE? Probate is the legal process for settling an estate after someone has died. It is also known as estate administration.The main purpose of probate is to provide inheritors of a deceased person's property with clear title to the property. During probate, the decedent's personal...

Q: WHO CAN MAKE A WILL? A. Any individual can make a will so long as he or she is of legal age (in most states 18 years of age; in Georgia you can make a will at the age of 14)) and is mentally competent. In other words, a person needs to know and understand that he or she is executing a will and...

  It's been nine years since my father passed. I wanted to repost this, my eulogy to him, on this anniversary date. My Dad was a hero. Now, not just your ordinary, average, everyday hero, mind you. Oh, he was that, to be sure. But he was so much more. As I was growing up, there was the hero...

Most people think of estate planning as the process to deal with your “stuff” when you are gone. Estate planning attorneys certainly help their clients create legal documents such as wills and trusts to ensure their clients' wishes are honored and that assets are transferred to loved ones in a ...

Social media is about putting yourself out there to connect with people, sometimes all over the world. If you are a social media influencer, not only are you being social, you are also gaining a following that may be bringing in cash. If you are using social media to earn income, here are fiv...

As a Marietta estate attorney, I believe that a medical Power of Attorney, or Healthcare Directive, should be included in every estate plan. A properly created Healthcare Directive allows someone to make important medical decisions for you in the event you are incapacitated or unable to speak f...

As 2021 draws to a close, it may be time to take a fresh look at your financial and legal documents to ensure that your affairs are in order and that you are ending the year on a solid foundation This is especially important if you've experienced any notable life or financial changes, such as ...

Receiving an inheritance is a huge blessing but, if not handled properly, can also become a curse. Often times, the inheritor does not know what to do with the new asset and runs into financial trouble, squandering most, if not all of it. This could happen due to the inheritor having outstand...

November is National Adoption Month, which is aimed at raising awareness about adoption and the children who need permanent, loving homes. Thousands of children are adopted each year, bringing much joy to their adoptive families. If you are in the process of adopting or have recently adopted a ...

No matter the time of year, it is always a good opportunity for members of the military and their loved ones to consider setting up — or revising an existing —estate plan. Military families need to consider special estate-planning issues that others do not. This is particularly true when one or...

The idea of implementing an estate plan might be one of the scariest things you have to confront as an adult. But estate planning does not have to make chills run down your spine. On the contrary, estate planning is empowering for both you and your family and allows you to live confidently kn...

The presence of a comprehensive estate plan or the absence of one can make the difference between lessening the burden on loved ones or adding additional grief for them down the road. The lack of an estate plan or a poorly-planned estate plan could mean that taxes and fees eat deeply into the ...

Your thoughtfully constructed estate plan could be disrupted by a challenge from a relative or friend who is unhappy with his or her inheritance (or lack of one).Here are 13 effective strategies that you can use to reduce the likelihood of your estate plan being challenged. #1. DON'T PROCRASTINA...

October 18-24, 2021 is Estate Planning Awareness Week. Now that summer vacation is over and the kids are back in school, it is a great time to review or move forward with your estate planning. Because an estate plan is not just a single document but rather a comprehensive set of several legal...

October 18th-24th marks National Estate Planning Awareness Week in the United States. The observance seeks to educate Americans about the importance of having proper estate planning documents in place should death or incapacity suddenly occur. Estate planning is one of the most overlooked area...

In 2008, Congress recognized the need for the public to understand the importance and benefits of estate planning by passing House Resolution 1499, which designated the third week of October as National Estate Planning Awareness Week. Nevertheless, according to a 2021 survey conducted by Caring...

An Executor of an estate is simply the person who is designated to carry out the wishes set forth in the decedent's will. This person also has the responsibility of finishing up the decedent's final affairs, such as paying outstanding bills and taxes. An Executor is usually named by the deceden...

It's hard to believe that more than half of all adults in America do not have a Last Will and Testament or Trust in place, especially with so many public stories of celebrities who left their estates a mess by not leaving behind a Will, leaving an invalid Will, or not properly funding their T...

The third week of October is National Estate Planning Awareness Week (Oct. 18-24, 2021). Estate planning is important for everyone regardless of wealth or family status because if you become incapacitated or pass away without an estate plan, you are leaving the distribution of your assets sub...

Trusts are important legal relationships that involve a Grantor who creates a Trust to hold property, a Trustee who holds or manages the property in the Trust, and a Beneficiary (or Beneficiaries) who eventually receives the property. While there are many types of Trusts, they can usually be br...

If I had to pick one question that I am asked the most, I'd have to say this one ranks way up there… Do I need a new estate plan if I move out of Georgia? Just like the answer to most estate planning questions, the answer is “it depends.” However, this one has a pretty simple explanation.  A...

Most Marietta elder lawyers agree that Medicaid is one of the best programs provided by the government for senior citizens who need help paying for long-term care. Medicaid is a needs-based program with strict income and asset limits that must be followed; otherwise, seniors can face penalties if...

According to research, 69% of adults ages 50-64 are on social media regularly, and 50% of adults older than 65 are on some form of social media as well. However, in my experience as an Marietta will lawyer, I've found that most people do not have a plan for what should happen to their growing p...