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 Atlanta
probate attorney, Sharon Rowen, is a frequent speaker at
Continuing Legal Education seminars given on behalf of the
Georgia lawyers. She has taught numerous legal education
seminars in Atlanta and across the state. Rowen and Klonoski
understands the complexity of estate and probate law and
their need to stay apprised of the continuing legislative
changes. The following are links to materials presented at
some of the seminars at which Ms. Rowen has spoken. These
materials may be of use to both the lay person attempting
to get oriented in the world of Georgia probate and
estate law, as well as lawyers needing more detailed information.
Update: In 2009, our lawyers have seen
an increase in inquiries regarding the estates of decedents
not domiciled in Georgia at the time of their death. Immediately
below, are new links geared toward the practicing probate
lawyer. The lay person with questions related to decedents
domiciled outside of the state may find some answers to their
probate questions
here. Feel free to contact
a Rowen & Klonoski,
P.C., for more information.
R&K has provided clients with legal
representation in Atlanta and throughout the state of for
over 30 years. For the non-lawyer, the following is a bit
of general information that the lawyers at R&K provide
almost daily in response to general inquiries. Most basic
is the need for a will. There is nothing more important than
preparing a will which ensures that after death, your assets
will be distributed according to your wishes. Without a will,
distribution of your assets will be governed solely by the
laws of the state in which you resided. Each person has different
concerns which must be addressed by the lawyer preparing
the will. These concerns may include estate tax planning,
trusts for minor children, or relatives whom you do not wish
to inherit. Most people also wish to have a durable power
of attorney prepared, in which you name a person to be in
charge of health care decisions such as remaining on life
support if you are not able to communicate your desires to
your doctors. Rowen & Klonoski lawyers work with clients
to ensure that their probate and estate documents are legally
enforceable.
When a person dies, the relatives of the
decedent will usually be involved in probating the decedent’s
will or asking the court to have an administrator of the
estate named if there is no will. A personal representative
of the estate is appointed by the court in the county where
the deceased last resided. The personal representative is
responsible for collecting the assets of the estate, paying
the debts, and distributing the remaining assets to the beneficiaries
or the heirs. The personal representative is called the executor
if there is a will, or the administrator if there is no will.
Probating a will is often simple, and can
be done without an Atlanta probate lawyer. However, sometimes
there are disagreements which must be litigated. For example,
there might be questions about the will’s validity
or who the administrator should be. Or the question may be
whether the executor or administrator is disbursing the assets
of the estate properly and according to the law. Many of
these disputes boil down to “Who is entitled to the
assets of the deceased?” or “What did the deceased
intend?”
Many times questions arise regarding the
pension or insurance benefits of a deceased person. Pension
and insurance benefits normally are paid outside of the estate
to the beneficiary named by the deceased. If there is a question
regarding the intentions or actions of the deceased (for
example, did he intend to change his beneficiary from his
ex wife to his children, and did he take steps to do so),
these questions often need to be litigated.
Finally, as the population of our older
citizens increase, there has been an increasing number of
legal "elder law" issues. These include nursing
home malpractice, disputes over guardianship of a relative,
estate planning, and Medicaid issues.
Sharon
Rowen has over 30 years of experience preparing wills and
litigating estate issues. She has represented the full range
of clients: from assisting indigent clients pro bono to litigating
complex estate matters for some of the wealthiest families
in Georgia. Her experience and in-depth knowledge of the
law gives her clients the confidence and peace of mind knowing
that they in the best of hands.
For
a free consultation you may contact
an Atlanta lawyer at
the telephone numbers below or email us with your questions.
We try to respond to all inquires within 24 hours.
For additional information
click on the following links. The "Probate and Estate
Checklist" may offer initial help to individuals that
recently lost a loved one and need to know what to do next.
Links:
Out
of the State of Georgia Probate Issues
Out of the State of Georgia Decedent with Property in Georgia
Simple Will Questionaire
Georgia Probate and Estate Checklist
For the Probate
Attorney
Heirs
and Beneficiaries
2006
Contingency Fee Contracts with Minor
Clients
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