Shawn Breyer
Figuring out how to probate an estate in Georgia is overwhelming.
You can’t figure out what forms to use or how to fill them out.
The probate courts are NOT helpful in any way.
Probate lawyers won’t talk to you without charging you.
You’re dealing with the loss of a loved one on top of all this.
That’s why we made this guide.
So you know how to probate an estate in Georgia.
This is a step-by-step guide with links to everything you need.
Enjoy.
Probate can be confusing and stressful. Incorrectly filled-out probate petitions can cause delays, rejections, and added stress. We will fill out your petition for you (for FREE).
Fill out the form to have us fill out your petition for you (at no charge). We can only offer 5 free petitions per week, so act fast to secure your spot and avoid the hassle of probate.
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Probate is when:
The biggest issues we see people face are:
Probate ensures that the deceased’s assets are distributed:
The probate process protects the rights of heirs and creditors.
It provides a structured process to handle the deceased’s affairs.
An executor is responsible for managing the estate through the probate process.
They are:
The executor’s duties include:
This section is a detailed list of the Georgia estate administration process.
Gather documents like:
You need to file the petition in the county where the deceased lived.
The forms you’ll need are:
You have to formally notify the heirs of the probate proceedings.
[Click here to download a blank notification.]
Send them this letter via Certified Mail.
The probate courts handle notifying the creditors in Georgia.
They will publish a notice in a local newspaper for 4 consecutive weeks.
You need to file a Notice To Debtors and Creditors with the probate court.
You’ll need to inventory all the assets the deceased owned, like:
You have to appraise assets like real estate, jewelry, collectibles, etc.
Once you have this information, fill out the Inventory Form.
Now, you need to figure out how much debt the estate owes to pay it off.
List out all the debts, like:
You will have to pay off all the debts before you can distribute the estate to heirs.
Here are the steps to pay of creditors of the estate:
Note that sometimes creditors don’t claim their debts.
They have ~90 days from the publication date to claim the debts.
If they don’t their debt is considered void by the courts.
You’ll need to distribute assets:
To distribute assets, you’ll need to:
When you do this:
You’ll need to submit this to the probate courts to close the estate.
Before you close the estate, you need to do the final accounting.
Final accounting for the estate should include all:
To close the estate, file a Petition for Discharge of the Personal Representative.
You submit this Petition and the final accounting to the courts.
They will issue a court order to close the estate once they approve of it all.
Fill out the form if you want help from one of our probate lawyers.
Here are common questions that we get from people learning about how to probate an estate in Georgia.
Yes, wills must be probated:
The cost of probate varies but can range from 2% to 8% of the estate’s value.
This includes court fees, attorney fees, and other costs.
File the final accounting and a Petition for Discharge with the probate court.
Once approved, the court will issue an order to close the estate.
Assets that are exempt from probate in Georgia include:
Are you overwhelmed trying to figure out how to probate an estate in Georgia?
Our Georgia probate attorneys handle everything for you.
We specialize in taking as much as possible off your plate so that you are not:
Fill out the form to take this off your plate.
Probate can be confusing and stressful. Incorrectly filled-out probate petitions can cause delays, rejections, and added stress. We will fill out your petition for you (for FREE).
Fill out the form to have us fill out your petition for you (at no charge). We can only offer 5 free petitions per week, so act fast to secure your spot and avoid the hassle of probate.
"*" indicates required fields
Our Georgia probate lawyers work remotely, so you don’t have to visit an office. Here are all the counties we serve in Georgia.
