by Susan Grissom | Sep 11, 2018 | Probate
In the state of Georgia, when someone dies with only a will – or not even that basic protection – in place, their estate must go through a court process known as probate. Probate is the process where the state of Georgia steps in to ensure the deceased person’s debts...
by Susan Grissom | Sep 4, 2018 | Probate
To understand what happens after an estate had been probated in the state of Georgia, you must first understand what probate is. When a person dies in Georgia and owns property subject to probate, i.e., property that is not jointly owned with rights of survivorship or...
by Susan Grissom | Aug 28, 2018 | Estate Planning
Everyone considering passing along their hard-earned wealth to their children or grandchildren should know about and understand the benefits of the stepped-up basis loophole. Congress makes this tax advantage available to families who carefully build wealth through...
by Madalyn Davis | Aug 21, 2018 | Elder Care, Estate Planning, Wills & Trust
One of the most frequent problems I see in probate is improper titling on the deed for the home. Many couples believe because they bought the house together, they own it together and when one of them passes the home automatically goes to the surviving spouse. What...
by Madalyn Davis | Aug 14, 2018 | Elder Care, Estate Planning, Wills & Trust
I often hear, “I already have a Will, I don’t need to do that again.” What most clients don’t consider is how life circumstances may change their estate plan, or how changes in law could impact the documents that have already been executed. Even for clients who have...
by Madalyn Davis | Aug 7, 2018 | Estate Planning, Wills & Trust
As your family grows, and your asset portfolio grows, the needs of your estate plan change too. The “walls” of a good plan grow with your family and your assets. Part of estate planning is considering your current situation (children, assets, etc.), but a larger part...
by Madalyn Davis | Jul 31, 2018 | Estate Planning, Wills & Trust
Building a strong foundation at a young age can prepare you for unforeseen circumstances. A good financial planner will help you build an initial savings account and set up your first IRA and investments. Something you may not have considered, or thought was...
by Madalyn Davis | Jul 24, 2018 | Elder Care, Estate Planning, Wills & Trust
Estate planning is not just for the rich, old and ill. A good estate planner takes a holistic look at your assets and protection: from insurance to house deeds and medical care. Sometimes it’s helpful to think of proper planning like a house. Your Will, Health Care...
by Madalyn Davis | Jul 17, 2018 | Elder Care, Estate Planning, Wills & Trust
With life expectancy rising and the average cost of assisted living in the Johns Creek area around $3,700 a month (or $30,000 a year) businesses that cater to the aging population are growing exponentially. Everywhere I look these days I see construction for a new...
by Madalyn Davis | Jul 10, 2018 | Elder Care, Estate Planning
Several of our clients have reverse mortgages or have considered reverse mortgages and have asked what they are and how they work. Reverse mortgages take the equity from your home and convert it to a loan that the lender pays to you. If you are 62 or older, you can...
