Wills & Probate
Where there's a will, there's a (predictable) way
Remove Uncertainty
with a Will
A will legally declares how a person's property should be divided and distributed when they die.
In Georgia, a valid will must be in writing and signed by either the person making the will or someone designated by the person making the will. It does not have to be notarized or submitted to a probate court in advance.
If there is no valid will when a person passes away, families fight, assets are disputed, and a difficult time of mourning is made more complicated.
Be content after planning for your loved ones
At the Law Offices of Ian Whittle, we can help you with preparing a will and navigating the probate process. Don't put off a simple, but powerful document that will insure your family is taken care of.
The Law Offices of Ian Whittle can also help you navigate the (seemingly) daunting process of probating your will. In general, the steps to probate a will after a loved one passes are below:
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File the will with the probate court. File the will with the probate court in the county where they lived. You cannot skip this step, even if you do not have to probate the will..
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Petition the court to start the probate process. We can help your family or executor file a petition and pay court fees to begin the probate process. We can also help as executor or representative to collect and distribute assets.
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Collect all of the estate’s assets. The deceased’s property is called their estate. The representative will gather all the property and file a report in the probate court.
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Pay the deceased’s debts. Before distribution, the deceased's outstanding debts must be paid to creditors. In order to give notice to the debtors, the personal representative must file a Notice to Creditors in the local newspaper.
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Distribute the remaining assets. The representative or executor will give anything left to the people named in the will.
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Closing the estate: The representative or executor must show proof that the beneficiaries got the assets, Finally, a final report is filed with the court to close the estate.