What Documents Do You Need For Estate Planning in Georgia?

It can be emotional to make plans for after your demise, but it is an important way to clean up your affairs and make sure your family is taken care of. 

Put simply, estate planning is the process of determining who gets what after you’re gone. 

If you have no beneficiary or heir or family, estate planning is also the way to determine which charity organization you want to claim your assets, if you choose to go that route. 

A Georgia estate planning lawyer helps people make note of what they want to happen to all their assets, which can include:

The importance of estate planning is for your family members to know which of your properties is left in their care and inform them of your assets’ existence and alleviate the stress of infighting and unnecessary tax burdens after you’re gone.

Estate planning is very easy when you work with an experienced Georgia estate planning attorney. These legal practitioners ensure that you prepare the appropriate documents and that your family gets whatever you assign to them. 

To give you an idea of the process, here are 5 documents you may need for your estate plan:

A will is a legal document designating who will inherit your assets after you die. In the will, you name an executor to ensure your wishes are followed.

A probate is legal permission from the court to execute your properties if you don’t have a will. In this case, the Probate Court names an executor for your affairs – which is clearly not as ideal as you choosing one for yourself.

While many people think trusts are just for the uber-wealthy, this is not the case. A trust simply allows you to name someone (the Trustee) to manage your affairs. The Trustee will be responsible for distributing these properties while you’re living and after you pass away.

An absolute power of attorney allows you to choose someone to represent you financially and legally in the event that you become unable to make decisions for yourself. In this case, this person makes decisions in your best interest.

(Relatedly, a Georgia Durable Healthcare Power of Attorney is another document that enables you to select a person who would make medical decisions for you if you’re incapacitated.)

A beneficiary is a person who you would like to inherit your wealth and/or assets after you pass. You may have bank accounts, retirement plans, or insurance plans where you named beneficiaries who would take over these properties after your death. These accounts and plans will need to be part of your estate planning documents.

Apart from a Will, you can write simple letters expressing your love and affection for your loved ones. You can also state in the letter how you want your funeral rites to be and give them specific instructions for your burial ceremony. 

Other documents you may want to include in your estate plan include:

With 27 years of experience protecting people through the law, Marietta Estate Planning attorney Kim Frye knows the best way to make sure you have the power to make decisions in a time of crisis: to have it properly documented in writing.

Our Georgia legal team looks forward to helping you create the perfect plan for your family. Contact us today.