In this video series, attorney Joel Beck discusses ten mistakes you want to avoid in your estate planning. In this episode 2, Joel discusses the mistake of not “hiring” the right people to serve in important roles such as executor, trustee, guardian, healthcare agent, and attorney in fact (agent under a power of attorney). But […]
Category Archives: Estate Planning
Ten Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid: Episode 1
In the first video of this series, Joel Beck discusses the biggest mistake in estate planning - not having your own plan.
What if Cinderella’s Stepmother Wasn’t Evil, But Was a Poor Planner? A Tale of Stepchildren in Estate Planning
How does Cinderella relate to Georgia estate planning? The story helps teach a very important lesson: if you want your stepchildren to inherit from you, you must be very intentional with your estate plan. And if you don't have an estate plan, your stepchild will miss out.
What is a Georgia Power of Attorney, and what does it do?
A Georgia Power of Attorney (POA) is one of the three foundational estate planning documents that most adults in Georgia need in place (the other two are the Advance Directive for Healthcare and a Last Will and Testament). Essentially, a POA allows you to appoint an agent to act on your behalf and manage your […]
Can I disinherit a child in Georgia?
Can I disinherit my child in Georgia? Can I keep them from getting anything under my Will? Joel Beck of The Beck Law Firm, LLC discusses this issue in today's post.
Legal Planning for College Students
Recent high school grads, before heading off in the fall for further studies or work, should make sure that they have in place the appropriate legal documents to protect themselves in the event of a need. In today's post, we discuss how a new college student can get their legal ducks in a row easily.
Be Concerned: Odds are Your Parents Don’t Have a Solid Estate Plan
A recent study shows that only 18% of adults 55+ have in place a proper estate plan. So, that means the odds are good that your aging parents don't, and are rolling the dice. Read more in today's post about why that's problematic, and get some tips on how to talk to your parents about estate planning.
If your Will cannot be found, does it exist?
If your Will is lost, do you even have a Will? Can a copy be used to probate your estate - perhaps even if you destroyed the original intending to revoke it? Joel beck discussed Georgia's law and its presumption of an intent to revoke that arises when an original Will cannot be found.
Estate Tax Update for 2019
The federal estate tax exemption increases for 2019 over the 2018 amount, though the exemption is still set to dramatically decline in January 2026. In this short article, we outline the current and future exemption amounts, and highlight where some risk might still reside for Georgia adults who don't have solid plans in place.
Wills: Here’s Why Not To Do It Yourself.
This NYT article praises a do-it-yourself approach to estate planning for some people, while providing misinformation about the true cost of good legal services, while also overlooking the real dangers of a DIY approach. In today's post we'll tackle this issue head on and explain why a DIY approach to wills and other planning documents can be dangerous and costly.