Estate Planning Resources

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

GET ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ESTATE PLANNING, WILLS, AND TRUSTS IN GEORGIA.

Depending on a client’s specific needs, a comprehensive estate plan typically includes one or several of the following legal services:
Wills
Trusts
Power of Attorney
Business Planning
Pet Planning
Probate
The ultimate goal of having an estate plan is to give you control, even in death, with the legal documents necessary to ensure asset support for beneficiaries and proper distribution when the time is right. Watch Estate Planning and the Single Person.

If you have assets you plan on giving to family, friends, charitable organizations, or similar, a trust may work better for you and your beneficiaries. Tax implications and other factors may determine the best choice for your situation. Talk to an Atlanta estate planning attorney today to get started.

Generally, the surviving spouse or children inherit the entire estate of an individual. However, possible disputes could make the division of an estate far more complicated.

Any property, including payroll checks that have gone unclaimed by the owner, is presumed abandoned. Once a property is deemed abandoned, it must be reported and remitted to the State of Georgia’s Commissioner of Revenue. Have further questions about unclaimed property in Georgia? Talk to our team today.

Yes, but please make sure the person you are scheduling a meeting for will attend the meeting. We can only proceed if the potential client is part of the meeting. If you think the other person isn’t mentally competent to attend a consultation, you may need to explore guardianship services. Siedentopf Law does not handle guardianship; however, we do have other attorneys we recommend.

Yes, if you would like. However, you should know that having someone other than the client in the meeting waives attorney-client privilege. Tell us about your estate planning situation and learn more about your options.

We take the time to listen to our client’s unique needs by having an open discussion and being responsive to your estate planning questions. Along with the one-on-one attention you deserve, we’re best able to provide a clear direction to create your personalized plans and ensure your wishes are carried out as intended. Watch our video to learn more about setting up a trust.

A few ways to minimize estate taxes include using the annual gift tax exclusion, establishing irrevocable trusts, and making charitable contributions.

An individual who is “incapacitated” means they have become unable to make sound decisions or manage their own affairs because of a physical or mental condition. This could be the result of a serious illness, injury, cognitive decline, or accident.

A seasoned estate planning attorney knows that attorney-client privilege legally protects the confidentiality of communications between them and their client. There are limited exceptions to attorney-client privilege. If you have specific concerns, don’t hesitate to discuss confidentiality with your attorney before working with them.

Keep an eye on estate planning attorneys who…
Lack of estate planning experience
Are NOT transparent about their pricing and fees
Don’t take the time to get to know you and your estate planning needs
Are unwilling or vague when answering your questions
Your estate is serious business and should be treated as such from start to finish.

Your comfort is key to a successful client-attorney relationship. This means it’s vital to look for an estate and trust attorney who:
Actively listens to your needs, fears, and goals
Explains all of your potential estate planning options
Take the time to answer your questions clearly
Ultimately, you want an estate planning attorney you can trust to ease your concerns and guide you throughout the estate planning process.
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Ready to learn more?

Explore our dedicated resource pages on specific estate planning topics.

Trusts in Georgia

Learn about different types of trusts, how they work, and when to use them in your estate plan.

Click here to learn more.

Wills

Understand the importance of having a will, what it should contain, and how to ensure it’s legally valid.

Click here to learn more.

Videos

What To Know About Estate Planning In Georgia

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Do I need a trust?

Understanding trusts and wills in Georgia.

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Estate Planning Questions

What should you know before contacting an attorney?

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Inheritance Tax Basics

Inheritance insights for Georgia’s state and federal taxes

WATCH NOW

Latest Blog Posts

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What Clients Are Saying

We had a wonderful experience with Siedentopf Law… They made what could have become a complicated process incredibly simple. We will definitely continue to work with them. Highly recommend!

Dororthy K.

I am so glad we chose to work with Sarah. She helped us to understand our options and made it convenient to meet via Zoom. I would recommend Siedentopf Law to anyone who wants expert help navigating this process.

Anne R.

Sarah and her team are professional, thorough, and efficient. She is an expert in her field and made discussing this type of law a smooth, painless process. Highly recommend!

Katie C.
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