An estate plan consists of legal documents that determine the distribution of your property, finances, and medical care if you’re unable to make decisions or after your death. Without it, Georgia law governs your affairs, which often does not align with your personal wishes.
Having an estate plan helps your family avoid confusion and reduces the need for court involvement during tough times. An attorney who works with elder law issues can help you create a plan or update an existing estate plan.
Nelson Elder Care Law has served hundreds of Georgia families. We can walk you through each document and explain how it fits your specific situation. Call today to schedule a free Legacy Planning Meeting and find out how our estate planning lawyers in Woodstock can help.
Why Every Georgia Resident Needs an Estate Plan
Many people put off estate planning because they assume they don’t have enough assets to worry about it, or that they’re too young for it to matter. Neither assumption holds up once a medical emergency or unexpected death actually happens.
- A will lets you decide, in your own words, who receives your property and who cares for your minor children.
- A trust gives you control over how and when your assets reach the people you care about, often while keeping those assets out of the public, months-long probate process entirely.
- Your durable power of attorney names someone you trust to manage your finances the moment you can’t, sparing your family from having to petition a Georgia probate court for guardianship.
- The Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care ensures your medical wishes are honored and your chosen agent makes the decisions that matter most when you can’t make them yourself.
Nelson Elder Care Law’s Estate Planning Guide helps you understand why estate planning is so important. We cover planning at each stage of life and advise on what to consider. Our attorneys can fine-tune your plan to your specific needs and goals.
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Your Last Will and TestamentA will appoints who will inherit your property and designates an executor to manage your estate after your death. It is the most commonly imagined form of estate planning and continues to serve as a key component for valid estate arrangements.
Georgia’s intestacy laws decide who gets your property if you die without a will, but these rules often do not match what you would have wanted. Sometimes, they may leave out family members that you wished to receive your assets.
Nelson Elder Care Law drafts wills that meet every Georgia requirement so your wishes actually hold up when they’re needed.
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The Absolute Protection Trust™
A revocable trust offers convenience, but it does very little to shield your assets from nursing home costs or a Medicaid spend-down. Since you retain control over a revocable trust, the law treats those assets as still yours, which means they remain fully exposed.
Our Absolute Protection Trust™ takes a different approach. It’s structured to help protect your home and savings from long-term care costs while still allowing you to benefit from those assets during your lifetime.
For families worried about the cost of a nursing home wiping out a lifetime of savings, this is a meaningfully stronger tool than a standard revocable trust. Our team at Nelson Elder Care Law can explain whether it fits your situation.
Your Durable Power of Attorney
A durable power of attorney names someone to manage your money, pay your bills, and handle your property if you become unable to do it yourself. Without one, your family may have to petition a Georgia court for guardianship, which takes time and money.
This document only works if it’s in place before a crisis happens. Waiting until after a stroke or a serious diagnosis is often too late, since you generally need mental capacity at the time you sign it.
Nelson Elder Care Law can help you put a durable power of attorney in place while you’re still healthy, so it’s ready the moment your family actually needs it.
The Georgia Advance Directives for Health Care
Georgia combines the healthcare power of attorney and the living will into a single document called the Advance Directive for Health Care. It lets you name a healthcare agent to make medical decisions and spells out your own wishes about treatment, including end-of-life care.
Without this document in place, Georgia law provides a default list of who can make medical decisions for you, starting with a spouse and moving through other relatives in a set order. That list may not reflect who you’d actually want making those choices.
Nelson Elder Care Law drafts Advance Directives that meet Georgia’s specific legal requirements, so your healthcare agent and your wishes are both clearly documented.
Talk to Our Team About Your Estate Planning Needs
Your estate plan includes legal documents that specify how your property, finances, and medical decisions are handled if you’re unable to decide or after you pass away. People of all ages and stages of life can benefit from a smart plan.
At Nelson Elder Care Law, we get stuff done right, and we’ve been serving Georgia families since 2014. Call now to schedule your free Legacy Planning Meeting and talk about the next steps.
