Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Georgia

A piece of paper signed and notarized? There is a lot more to a valid will than that, but for many people who take the risk their family finds out the will goes in the trash well after it is too late.

It depends. In Georgia, a will must be witnessed by 2 people who are not beneficiaries under the will. To be self-proving, it must be notarized. And all people have to sign the will in front of each other and the notary. Other states have other requirements which may or may not be the same.

I take it that you found a do-it-yourself will online and you want to know if its valid. The answer is "it depends." I have seen some of the stuff people get online and it is wrong, does not comply with state law, or, even worse, refers to some law of another state or country.

I would agree with Attorney Riddle that you get what you pay for. If you want to save yourself a few bucks and run the risk of getting garbage which may or may not be what you want, you will be penny wise and pound foolish by leaving your loved ones the legacy of a lawsuit. I would get it done right by a competent professional. Wills are not all that expensive. I cannot speak for others but I charge around $250 - $300 for a complete estate planning package consisting of a wiill, financial power of attorney and health care power pf attorney/living will plus a few extras.

And there is no such thing as a simple will. People get married, divorced, have children from blended families, wish to disinherit someone or can die a dead millionaire even though they have no estate to speak of at the time of creation of the will. These things all require a professional attorney to make sure they are handled correctly.

If you are interested in having your will done, see me or someone local. If interested, you can contact me at [email protected].