Whenever a family must settle an estate of a loved one and there are no disputes between the family members, it is considered an uncontested estate. The process of settling the estate is often referred to as estate administration.
If the deceased had a will, then a Georgia estate executor will manage the estate as it is being administered. When a will was not left, the person who will manage the estate is referred to as an administrator. There are some differences in the legal process necessary to settle the estate depending on whether there is a will.
It is very common to feel lost or confused. Especially if a loved one has just died. In fact, we help many people who come to us and do not know where to begin. Most of the time, they say they feel out of their element because they have never dealt with anything like this before. They do not know what to do next, but feel a sense of urgency to do something. Often, they tell us that they cannot feel as if they have laid their family member to rest until the estate is completely settled.
We understand these feelings. Our compassionate legal team has helped many families settle their loved one’s estate, from honoring their loved one’s wishes, to managing complex family relationships, to maximizing the value of the estate for the family. Our firm has efficient processes to make sure that the estate administration stays on track, feels fair, and is done right. We’ve also given a lot of hugs.
We are at your side through every step of the process. Some clients ask us to be a partner in settling the estate and take a large amount of the load off of them. Other clients ask us to take over the entire estate administration and relieve them of the entire burden. Either way, with our legal team by your side, you will know that everything is being done right and you are in good hands.
If you would like to talk about how our team can help you with estate administration, please set up a private, confidential consultation with our office.
Common Concerns about Uncontested Estates in Georgia
Our probate attorneys find that our clients come to us with a number of different concerns about settling their loved one’s estate. These are a few of the most common concerns we see:
1. Ensuring that the deceased’s wished are honored. Family members often tell us that, above all else, they want to ensure that their loved one’s last wishes are carried out in a respectful, dignified manner. Sometimes these wishes are recorded in a formal will, while other times they were communicated to family members during life or shortly before the death.
2. Ensure the estate is settled properly. The process of administering an estate in Georgia has many steps, and the different things that must be done at each stage are not clear. Often, families just want to make sure that the estate is administered according to Georgia law, that everything is done right, and that no one winds up in trouble with the Probate Court.
3. Keeping harmony among the family. During the process of administering an estate, family situations can sometimes become heated and family relationships can be strained. The Georgia estate executor or administrator may have to make decisions that are unpopular, or that may cause hurt feelings. Because emotions are running high, and the loss is often fresh, an experienced guide can play a pivotal role in helping to keep the process moving forward while stopping any potential disputes before they erupt. By making sure that everyone feels the process is fair, and by giving everyone a voice in the process, important family relationships can remain intact, and the family can emerge stronger than it was before.
4. Maximizing the value of the estate. Once the process of settling the estate has started, there will often be discussions of how to maximize the sale of property that must be sold, and how to reduce the amount of creditor claims to make sure that the family receives as much as possible from the estate.
5. Understanding the process. How long will the whole process take? What is involved? How much time will I have to devote to it? How much will it cost? Will I have to go to court? The people our law firm speaks with often have these and other common concerns about the process of settling an estate.