Overview:
When you die, your last will and testament helps to ensure that your property is distributed among your family and friends as you wish.
What You Should Know:
- Because state laws regarding wills, detailed in the Official Code of Georgia, seem complex at times, you may want to talk to an attorney early in the process of estate planning.
- You can't be forced into signing a will. In order for a will to be valid at your county probate court, you must have freely agreed to its terms.
- Wills are individual, so there's no one form to use. You should make certain, though, that your will fully complies with state laws.
- You may identify in your will an executor who will work with the county probate court, manage your estate and pay off all your estate's debts.
- If you ask a beneficiary of your will to serve as a witness, ask at least two trusted others who are not named in the will to serve as the other witnesses.
- To help the county probate court accept your will, you may want to self-prove the document. You'll visit a notary public with the witnesses who signed your will, and all of you will sign an attachment to the will that states that the will is yours.
FAQs:
When should I update my will?
When you go through any major change in your life--a marriage, a divorce, a birth or adoption of a child, or a move between states--you should consider updating your will.
I've just recently moved to Georgia. Is my will valid here if I wrote it back in my old home state?
It depends. Speak with an estate attorney to review Georgia laws.
Source: Official Code of Georgia. This information was prepared as a public service of the State of Georgia to provide general information, not to advise on any specific legal problem. It is not, and cannot be construed to be, legal advice.