Secure Property
Protect homes, vehicles, records, mail, digital accounts, and business assets.
Probate and Estate Administration
Practical Guidance Through Georgia Probate and Estate Administration
Clear advice for executors, administrators, heirs, and families handling property, debts, court filings, distributions, and disagreement after a death.
Immediate Priorities
Protect the Estate Before Trying to Distribute It
Early decisions can affect property, claims, business operations, and the ability to administer the estate efficiently.
Locate Documents
Find the original will, trusts, deeds, account records, insurance, and business agreements.
Identify Interested Parties
Determine heirs, beneficiaries, nominated fiduciaries, and anyone with a potential conflict.
Address Urgent Issues
Preserve operations, handle perishable property, and identify deadlines or disputes.
Your Situation
The Correct Probate Path Depends on the Will, Assets, and Family Circumstances
There Is a Will
The original will must be located, filed, and evaluated together with the nominated executor’s powers and the estate’s assets.
There Is No Will
Georgia law determines the heirs, and the court appoints an administrator with authority to manage and distribute the estate.
The Estate Owns Land or a Business
Title, management, valuation, operating authority, sale decisions, and family expectations require early attention.
Family Members Disagree
Contested appointments, will challenges, accounting concerns, and disputes over property may require litigation strategy as well as administration.
Estate Administration
From Opening the Estate Through Final Distribution
Assess and File
Identify the correct proceeding and prepare the petition.
Receive Authority
Obtain the court appointment and understand fiduciary duties.
Manage Assets
Collect, preserve, value, and administer estate property.
Address Obligations
Handle claims, expenses, taxes, and required notices.
Distribute and Close
Complete transfers, accountings, distributions, and closing steps.
Complicated Estates
Some Estates Need More Than Routine Filing Assistance
Early legal guidance is especially important when the estate includes land, an operating business, minor beneficiaries, disputed documents, debt, fiduciary concerns, or property that must be sold.
Discuss the Estate Family Land
Operating Businesses
Intestate Estates
Out-of-State Fiduciaries
Minor Beneficiaries
Debt-Heavy Estates
Will Contests
Property Sales
Common Questions
Answers Depend on Authority and the Estate’s Actual Assets
Is probate always required?
Not always. The answer depends on how property was titled, beneficiary designations, the existence of a trust, the type of asset, and what must be transferred or administered.
Can an executor sell a house, land, or business?
Authority may come from the will, the court appointment, or a separate court order. Fiduciary duties, valuation, conflicts, and notice requirements also matter.
When may beneficiaries receive distributions?
Distributions should occur only after the fiduciary understands claims, expenses, taxes, reserves, and the rights of all interested parties.
What if the original will cannot be found?
The available options depend on whether a copy exists, the circumstances surrounding the missing original, and the evidence required by Georgia law.
Begin the Conversation
Identify the Court Process and the Immediate Decisions
A Probate Assessment can clarify authority, documents, deadlines, and the next practical steps.
