GPLG Knowledge Center

What are the powers of the executor of a will? This is a common question we get asked at our office. The default rule in Georgia is that the executor or administrator will have limited powers. However, when an executor or administrator has been granted expanded probate powers by the probate...

When a loved one passes away, estate challenges can happen very quickly. What can you do about it? It is not uncommon for one or more family members to attempt to take over the estate, and gain a larger share of the deceased’s property.   Many times, the best response is to become proactiv...

What powers does an executor of an estate have? Probate powers are one of the least understood but most important topics for an executor or administrator to understand. The reason for this is that the level of powers the administrator or executor has been granted by the probate court will have...

What is a probate inventory? Once you become appointed as executor or administrator of an estate, you may be required to file an initial inventory and ongoing annual returns.  This is an area that trips up a lot of personal representatives, and I don’t want you to be one of them. In this ar...

If you’re handling an estate, you may be required to obtain a bond before the probate court will allow you to serve as executor or administrator.  But, how does a probate bond work? At first, the idea of a bond may seem unusual or even scary.  In this article, we'll look at what a probate bon...

Identifying nonprobate assets can be a tricky issue that the executor or administrator must sort through.  The default rule in Georgia is that all assets are probate assets unless there is an exception.  As a result, the personal representative must understand what those exceptions are and h...

Many times, situations where you suspect that the person holding a power of attorney has acted improperly wind up being handled after a death has occurred. Many people are not aware of this, but the power of attorney terminates upon death. From that point forward, the only way to deal with the decea...

What happens if you have a spouse that dies in the hospital? Does Georgia probate law say that you are responsible for the bills? This is a common question our office receives, and is often a concern on the minds of family members. The short answer is that, generally speaking, Georgia probate law...

If you are an executor or administrator, getting clear on what assets go through probate is an important task because you have a responsibility to gather and protect all of the estate's assets.  If you are not clear on what those assets are, you will not know when you are doing your job well ver...