Fletcher Estate Planning offers comprehensive planning for you and your family. Our services include:
Will-Based Plans
Our Will-Based Plans include your Last Will and Testament, Financial Power of Attorney, Healthcare Power of Attorney, Living Will (if desired), Advance Healthcare Directive, and more. These plans help you nominate decision-makers in the event you are incapacitated or pass away, and direct your assets where you would like for them to go. However, a Will must go through the Probate Court after your passing, which can lead to undesired cost and delay.
Trust-Based Plans
Our Trust-Based Plans include the same documents as the Will-Based Plan, but add a Revocable Living Trust and use a Pour-Over Will. We help you transfer your assets into your Trust. These plans also nominate decision-makers and direct your assets, but are designed to avoid the need to go through Probate Court after your passing.
Financial Powers of Attorney
A Power of Attorney gives your trusted person the authority to act on your behalf. Our firm can provide you with both the standard Georgia POA as well as a more comprehensive Power of Attorney which more specifically and clearly enumerates the areas of authority. This tool is included in our Will-Based and Trust-Based Plans, but we can also prepare a POA for you separately if desired.
Healthcare Powers of Attorney / Advance Directives / Living Wills
A Healthcare Power of Attorney (also known as an Advance Directive for Healthcare) nominates your trusted person to made medical decisions for you if you are unable to communicate. A Living Will also allows you to decide whether life sustaining care should be continued if you are permanently unconscious or have a terminal illness.
Transfer on Death Deeds / Ladybird Deeds
To avoid the need to go to Probate Court to transfer your home at your death, Georgia allows property owners to convey their home or other real property using a Transfer on Death Deed (also known as a Ladybird Deed). It conveys your home or other real property to your beneficiary only after 1) you have passed away, and 2) the beneficiary accepts the conveyance within 9 months after your passing by filing an Affidavit in the land records. This Transfer on Death Deed is revocable, so you can change your mind and revoke it during your lifetime.