Preparing for Your First Probate Meeting

Fulfilling a loved one’s estate planning requests can be confusing and difficult. The probate process involves navigating the court system, understanding Georgia’s legal requirements, and wrapping up final tax filings and other administrative duties. But Siedentopf Law is here to help. As a probate firm, we help our clients monitor and manage the probate process. We also advise clients on a number of legal issues related to probate in Georgia.

Items required for a first probate meeting

If you are preparing for your first probate meeting with us, here is a list of items that we recommend you bring to your appointment:

• The decedent’s signed Last Will & Testament
• The names, addresses, and other contact information for the decedent’s family, including (if applicable): spouse, former spouse, children, grandchildren, parents, siblings.
• The address of where the decedent was living when he or she passed away
• The address for any property the decedent owned. We need to determine whether the property should go through the probate process. If you have the deed, please bring that with you so we can see how the property is titled.
• Any financial documents that have the names or contact information for the financial institution where the decedent conducted their banking or other financial business. Please also bring a list of financial assets and total holdings. (If you do not have the exact numbers, an estimate is fine).
• If the decedent has an IRA or retirement accounts, you may also need to bring the social security numbers for his or her heirs and beneficiaries.

While this is not an exhaustive list, it will help you to get organized and familiar with the type of information we will be discussing during your probate meeting. If you have any questions prior to your consultation, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at (404) 736-6066 or via our website. If you would like to learn more about the probate process, you can download our free 7-Step Quick Start Guide today. Just go to the Siedentopf Law website, scroll down the Probate Process page, and then enter your name and email address.

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