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Georgia Estate Planning Questions & Answers
2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning for Georgia on
Q: do you need an attorney for a deed being transfered from immediate family
Jammie Taire
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answered on Apr 20, 2020

The answer to this question is it depends. If everyone is alive then you do not necessarily need an attorney and you may be able to simply convey the property with a quitclaim deed. If there is a mortgage on the property, you may want to check the security deed to see if there are penalties... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Real Estate Law and Probate for Georgia on
Q: aunt dies inGeorgia with a will and husband passed 10 years before her without a will. KY land never, change to her.

The property deed half ownership is still in uncles name,(intestate )50% and split with two nephews. Aunt never transferred in her name, died, who inherits Uncles half?Aunt had a will, but again never change ownership. Help please do l need to probate her 1/3 rights? Or passes to the nephews upon... View More

Robert W. Hughes Jr.
Robert W. Hughes Jr.
answered on Apr 4, 2020

If your aunt died in Georgia, you will need to open an estate in Georgia. You will then need to contact a KY lawyer to help with transferring the KY land. You may have to open your uncle's estate in the county where he died as well.

3 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning for Georgia on
Q: Can you use small estate affidavit after filing for letters of administration of estate in GA
Robert W. Hughes Jr.
Robert W. Hughes Jr.
answered on Apr 2, 2020

This question should be posted to the probate area of law. That said, there is no small estate affidavit in Georgia. If you have been granted Letters of Administration, you should be able to transfer all assets with your Letters.

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Georgia on
Q: Who is the owner of a bank account of an intestate person that has added the daughter to sign checks?
Robert W. Hughes Jr.
Robert W. Hughes Jr.
answered on Mar 31, 2020

As your question is worded, it is the estate. As is probably the case, it is the daughter. Most banks add the new signer on as an account owner. Therefore, if she is an account owner, the money is hers. If however, the bank truly added her as having signatory power, but not ownership, then the... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Georgia on
Q: My divorced brother passed away and the beneficiaries for his life insurance were his minor children (in GA).....

I understand the court typically assigns the remaining parent as the custodian/manager of the children's life insurance policy. What if you would like to contest this b/c we are extremely concerned that the parent will spend the money left for the children's college and/or future needs... View More

Ellaretha Coleman
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Ellaretha Coleman
answered on Mar 31, 2020

Typically in divorce cases, the final divorce decree requires the parties to maintain life insurance policies for the benefit of the minor children if one parent dies while the children are still minors. This is so that the children can still be financially provided for while they are minors. If... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Georgia on
Q: My divorced brother passed away and the beneficiaries for his life insurance were his minor children (in GA).....

I understand the court typically assigns the remaining parent as the custodian/manager of the children's life insurance policy. What if you would like to contest this b/c we are extremely concerned that the parent will spend the money left for the children's college and/or future needs... View More

Ellaretha Coleman
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Ellaretha Coleman
answered on Mar 30, 2020

Typically in divorce cases, the final divorce decree requires the parties to maintain life insurance policies for the benefit of the minor children if one parent dies while the children are still minors. If that is the case, there is not a way to now alter the beneficiary designation, unless the... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Real Estate Law for Georgia on
Q: My Wife has life estate in a portion of the estate and wish to leave her life estate to me. What does she do

We have been paying the tax's for about three years as well.

Nina Whitehurst
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answered on Mar 25, 2020

The holder of a life estate cannot “leave” it to another person. When the life tenant dies the life estate ends.

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3 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Georgia on
Q: Can parent give inherited house to one child that has never lived nor contributed anything to over another child that

Contributed to financially and took care of parent for years; sidelining her own life to do so. Can one child have that favor?

Ellaretha Coleman
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Ellaretha Coleman
answered on Mar 21, 2020

Yes.

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Georgia on
Q: How long does it take to have a trustee removed?
Robert W. Hughes Jr.
Robert W. Hughes Jr.
answered on Mar 6, 2020

How long is a piece of string? Not trying to be smart, but if the trustee agrees, it could take about 10 minutes. If the trustee fights removable, it might drag on for many, many years because of court calendars, etc.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Georgia on
Q: Petition for No administration vs. Petition for Letters of Administration

My dad died without a will in GA ( gwinnett county). The only assets he has are a house jointly owned with my mom with rights of survivorship and a business checking account which is solely in his name. No POD or beneficiary on the business checking. My question is would I file a “no petition... View More

Robert W. Hughes Jr.
Robert W. Hughes Jr.
answered on Mar 4, 2020

You must file a Petition to Appoint Administrator to secure the funds in the business account for your mother.

2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Georgia on
Q: My grandma passd and left me as beneficiary to a few ira accounts and she have greedy friends not of ken whats my rights

I am beneficiary to like 3 high priced accounts and she has "friends" that came for her or for her bf and it aint goin smooth they tryng to keep me away from her cpu and all saying grandma didn't trust me but that's ot true.. How do i take.control here and make them.leave

Ellaretha Coleman
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Ellaretha Coleman
answered on Mar 2, 2020

You need to contact a probate attorney to resolve her estate.

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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Georgia on
Q: My dad died without a will. He was married to my step mom at the time. How do I get anything of my dads?
Ellaretha Coleman
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Ellaretha Coleman
answered on Feb 24, 2020

You would need to speak with a probate attorney to discuss your options. Your next steps will greatly depend on the nature of the assets that your father left behind. My condolences on your loss.

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Georgia on
Q: My grandfather passed recently. How soon can I determine the validity his will which we discussed years ago
Robert W. Hughes Jr.
Robert W. Hughes Jr.
answered on Feb 3, 2020

Assuming your grandfather died in Georgia, you or any of his heirs can file his will for probate as soon as you have the death certificate. You will file the Will in the probate court of the county where your grandfather died.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Georgia on
Q: My brother passed away in GA. He was a homeowner & we were told we had to post this in the local paper for 90 days, why

Is this for local debtors only?

Robert W. Hughes Jr.
Robert W. Hughes Jr.
answered on Jan 19, 2020

I'm not sure what "this" is? If you were appointed administrator, you have to run a Notice to Debtors and Creditors in the local newspaper. The ad runs for 4 weeks and generally costs about $80 to run.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Georgia on
Q: My mother committed suicide in November 2019. I need help with how distribution of the estate

she wrote a letter saying she could not find her living will. We have been unsuccessful in finding it as well. She listed where her assets so go. She listed at the end that her current husband (only 9months married) is entitled to nothing and she wants him to get nothing. She has stocks, a car and... View More

Robert W. Hughes Jr.
Robert W. Hughes Jr.
answered on Jan 17, 2020

Because your mother died without a will, there are no considerations given for what she told others she wanted. Nor do her handwritten notes have any bearing on how her estate is to be distributed. You are required to distribute 1/3 of the estate to her spouse and divide the remaining 2/3 among... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Georgia on
Q: My grandmother passed with surving heirs do I have a right to her estate? She left me the deed to her home.

She left me the deed to her home in a safety deposit box that only she and I had access to along with some money in a POD account which I use to pay for her funeral arrangements and any outstanding bills.

Nina Whitehurst
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answered on Jan 7, 2020

If your grandmother has a will, then her will governs who gets what. If she did not have a will, then the laws of intestate succession determine who gets what. There is no way to answer your question without reviewing the will or, if no will, understanding exactly what heirs survived her (spouse,... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Elder Law, Probate and Family Law for Georgia on
Q: I was a care taking for a lady with dementia. A lawyer has been granted conservatorship over her. I no longer care

for her, but am owed over $2000 in wages. First the lawyer told me he had to get on her account, then he said her had to put money in a conservatorship account and now he says he has to get approval from the court before he can pay me. It's been 3 months. What is the truth?

Robert W. Hughes Jr.
Robert W. Hughes Jr.
answered on Jan 2, 2020

Everything you have been told is accurate. You can ask the lawyer for a copy of the documents he filed in court to get approval to pay you. You can also ask the probate court for a copy of the document he filed for permission to pay you.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Elder Law, Probate and Family Law for Georgia on
Q: I was a care taking for a lady with dementia. A lawyer has been granted conservatorship over her. I no longer care

for her, but am owed over $2000 in wages. First the lawyer told me he had to get on her account, then he said her had to put money in a conservatorship account and now he says he has to get approval from the court before he can pay me. It's been 3 months. What is the truth?

Priscilla T. Upshaw
Priscilla T. Upshaw
answered on Jan 1, 2020

It is difficult to provide you with an accurate answer, more information is needed. It is best to consult with an estate planning/elder law attorney who can assist you with the specifics of your case.

I wish you well.

-The Upshaw Law Firm, (770) 240-0922.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Georgia on
Q: What form needs to be completed and signed by the heirs of a deceased parent to release their interest in real property?

the will has been filed with the courts but was not taken to probate. will named spouse as beneficiary. The real property is occupied by the spouse and she is trying to refinance but needs to have the property title put in her name as it was only in her deceased husbands name.

property... View More

Robert W. Hughes Jr.
Robert W. Hughes Jr.
answered on Dec 30, 2019

You have two choices. You can probate the will and transfer the real estate to the spouse by way of the Will. You can also have the spouse file a petition for year's support and ask the court to give the house to the spouse. These are the only ways to get the property transferred to the... View More

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