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Dedicated Newnan Attorney Simplifies the Probate Process for Clients

Established Georgia lawyer helps administrators and executors successfully settle estates

Probate can be complex and time-consuming. Often, it is the last thing a person wants to worry about while mourning the loss of a loved one. If you have been tasked with ensuring your loved one’s wishes are upheld, it helps to be guided by a skilled probate attorney. The Law Office of Patrick W. McKee, LLC, has experience guiding clients in Newnan through the probate process and assisting with matters related to estate administration. Patrick McKee and staff are here to help take the stressful process of validating a will off your shoulders.

Is probate necessary in Georgia?

Probate is the formal process by which the probate court in the county where the decedent lived determines that the will is the official last will and testament. The probate court officially appoints the executor to handle the distribution of the decedent’s property and payment of debts and monitors the executor’s progress. If you have a will, even if you also have a living trust, your estate will need to go through probate. But for intestate estates, where the decedent left no will and no personal representative has been appointed, Georgia allows heirs to file a petition with the probate court which will make administration unnecessary, as long as the estate owes no outstanding debt and all heirs agree on how it’s to be divided.

The executor’s duties in probate

If you are appointed the executor of an estate, you will need to perform the following duties:

  • Marshal, secure and insure all assets, including financial accounts, insurance policies and physical property
  • Pay the decedent’s debts and estate administration expenses
  • Obtain expert valuation of the estate property and sell it, if necessary
  • File state and federal income, estate and other tax returns
  • Distribute the remaining assets to heirs/beneficiaries as directed by the will or probate court
  • File returns and reports with the probate court
  • Close the estate by filing a petition for discharge

Attorney Patrick McKee will carefully review your loved one’s estate plan if there is one. If there is a will, he will take care to see that it is followed. If trusts have been established, he will see that they are administered according to plan. If your loved one did not have a will or trust, he will advise you on what your next steps will be to administer the intestate estate.

Experienced counsel when dealing with will contests and estate disputes

Particularly when there is no will, or the will is outdated or poorly written, the door is open for disputes. A beneficiary may claim that another beneficiary exerted undue influence to be favored in the loved one’s will. Claims also may involve allegations that the creator of the will was not of sound mind at the time of its creation.

Patrick McKee has years of legal experience guiding clients through probate and handling estate administration. You can also trust him to handle estate litigation of all types to reach an outcome aligned with your loved one’s true wishes.

Contact our Georgia probate administration attorney serving Newnan, and surrounding areas

Learn how Patrick McKee’s probate experience can help you simplify the process. Call the Law Office of Patrick W. McKee, LLC at 470-400-1562 or contact us online to schedule an appointment in Newnan with our probate attorney.