Experienced Guidance Through the Georgia Probate Process
Losing a loved one can be difficult, and dealing with probate can add legal and financial responsibilities at an already challenging time.
At Hoffman & Associates, our probate attorneys help individuals and families in Sandy Springs, Georgia navigate probate and estate administration with clear, practical guidance. We assist executors, administrators, trustees, beneficiaries, and families with both straightforward and complex estates.
Probate & Estate Administration in Sandy Springs
Probate is the legal process used to administer certain assets after someone dies. Depending on the estate, the process may involve validating a will, appointing a personal representative, identifying assets, addressing debts and taxes, and distributing property to beneficiaries or heirs.
Our probate services include assistance with:
- Probate of wills
- Estates without a will
- Executor and administrator responsibilities
- Identification and administration of estate assets
- Creditor claims
- Estate and fiduciary tax matters
- Beneficiary and heir issues
- Trust administration
- Business interests
- Real estate
- Complex and high-value estates
What If There Is No Will?
When someone dies without a valid will in Georgia, they are considered to have died intestate.
Georgia intestacy laws generally determine who inherits probate property, and the probate court may appoint an administrator to manage the estate.
Hoffman & Associates can help families identify heirs, understand the administrator’s responsibilities, and navigate the probate process when no will exists.
Does Every Estate Have to Go Through Probate?
Not necessarily.
Some assets may transfer outside probate because of the way they are owned or because a beneficiary has been designated. These may include certain trust assets, retirement accounts, life insurance proceeds, jointly owned property, and accounts with beneficiary designations.
An attorney can help determine which assets are part of the probate estate and which may transfer separately.
