Many people want to know when they should apply for Social Security (assuming it still exists when you need it). One of the reasons people ask this question is because the benefit paid is higher if you wait until after your full retirement age, but lower if you apply before your full retirement age. A […]
Blog
If you are looking for assistance understanding Elder Law, a Certified Elder Law Attorney can help. Before you can sit for the exam, which (last time we checked) has a forty percent pass rate, Certified Elder Law Attorneys (CELAs) must meet the following criteria: Licensed Attorney: You must be a licensed attorney and an active […]
Not everything goes through someone’s probate estate. That means not everything passes through your Will. If you care how your assets are distributed, then it’s important to coordinate how your probate and non-probate assets pass following your death. Property held as joint tenants with right of survivorship (JTWRS) does not pass through anyone’s Will until […]
Georgia law defines a Will as “the legal declaration of an individual’s testamentary intention regarding that individual’s property or other matters. Will includes the will and all codicils to the will.” O.C.G.A. § 53-1-2(17). A Codicil is “an amendment to or republication of a will.” O.C.G.A. § 53-1-2(4). No particular form is necessary to constitute […]
One question we frequently get is what happens to a home mortgage after my relative (usually mom or dad) dies? The Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982 addresses so-called due on sale clauses. Specifically, at 12 U.S.C. § 1701j–3(d), the Act provides: With respect to a real property loan secured by a lien on […]
The Veteran’s Administration (the VA) makes long-term care support available for qualifying veterans in several ways. VA Community Living Centers (CLCs) CLCs are VA owned and operated. Veterans can receive nursing level care, including assistance with activities of daily living. Veterans are encouraged to make their rooms feel home-like by decorating their rooms and they […]
On November 8, Medicare announced the 2025 premiums and Co-Pays. The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees will be $185.00 for 2025, an increase of $10.30 from $174.70 in 2024. The annual deductible for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries will be $257 in 2025, an increase of $17 from the annual deductible of […]
Before a guardian or the personal representative of an estate takes office, he or she must take an oath. The form is a standard form and can be found here. The oath is usually made in front of the Probate Judge or a clerk with the probate court, but it can be taken out of […]
In Georgia, when actions are filed in Probate Court, some people must be notified before the case can move forward. These individuals are known as parties in interest. Usually service is acknowledged or waived, but not always. Ordinarily a party in interest who does not acknowledge or waive service is entitled to personal service, but […]
