Dozier Law, P.C. Wills, Trusts & Estates Attorneys

Attorneys Providing You With The Peace Of Mind You Deserve

Wills, Trusts and Estates law involves planning for what happens to assets, finances, and healthcare when an individual is incapacitated or passes away. An individual retains control of these decisions through legal documents and plans that reflect the wishes of the individual.

Whether preparing a Will, healthcare directive, POA, trust, or counseling clients on probate issues after the death of a loved one, Dozier Law, P.C. will provide the help you need, when you need it. Dozier Law, P.C. Wills, Trusts & Estates Attorneys in Rincon, Effingham County, Georgia, has 30 years of experience ensuring that people have an orderly transition of their assets.

Dozier Law, P.C.’s expertise includes, but is not limited to, the following;

• Construction of Wills
• Execution and Revocation of Wills
• Power of Attorney (POA)
• Advance Directive for Healthcare (ADH)
• Establishment of Trusts
• Probate and Caveat of Wills
• Year’s Support
• Administration of Estates

Wills

A Will is a legal document that establishes how your estate will be handled upon your passing, including the distribution of your property and assets. You determine who gets what, and a Will obligates that the executor designated to manage the Will, working with probate court, carries out the instructions outlined in the Will. Dozier Law, P.C. Wills, Trusts & Estates Attorneys in Rincon, Effingham County, Georgia will ensure that the construction of your Will fully represents your wishes.

If you die in Georgia without a Will (dying intestate), there are very specific laws that dictate how your estate will be managed. Certain assets will automatically pass to a surviving co-owner or a named beneficiary. However, distribution of many of the assets will be governed by the legal chain of inheritance. In many cases this distribution may not be what you would prefer.

Wills also play a very important role in protecting your children. If both parents die leaving minor children behind without a Will, legal guardianship will be in the hands of a court. While a judge will attempt to make decisions in the best interest of the children, there are many factors and there is no certainty that this will be accomplished. A Will enables you to be very specific regarding guardianship.

Contact Dozier Law, P.C. Wills, Trusts & Estates Attorneys in Rincon, Effingham County, Chatham County, Bulloch County, Screven County, and Bryan County, Georgia to construct a Will for you.

Power of Attorney (POA)

A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document that enables you to appoint an agent to act on your behalf if you are incapacitated and can no longer make financial, medical, and other life decisions. The agent can be a family member, friend, or any other adult. Decisions by the agent can include financial or real estate transactions, business transactions, employment of professional help, deciding on living arrangements, caregivers, medical care and so on. Designating an agent will give you the peace of mind that you are in good hands if the need arises. Contact Dozier Law, P.C. Wills, Trusts & Estates Attorneys in Rincon, Effingham County, Georgia to develop a POA for you.

Advance Directive For Healthcare (ADH)

The Georgia Advance Directive For Healthcare (sometimes called a living will) is a legal document that enables you to outline your medical treatment preferences when you are not able to do so yourself. This includes withholding or withdrawing medical treatment, accepting or refusing artificial nutrition, and other medical decisions. You designate an agent (any adult) to act as your representative with doctors and other healthcare professionals in making treatment decisions for you. Contact Dozier Law, P.C. Wills, Trusts & Estates Attorneys in Rincon, Effingham County, Georgia to construct an ADH for you.

Trusts

In certain cases it makes sense to establish a trust to manage a decedent’s assets rather than going through probate. With a trust, a third party (trustee) is appointed to manage the estate assets over an ongoing period of time for the benefit of the named beneficiaries. You can be very specific or very general regarding the ongoing distribution of assets to the named beneficiaries, with the trustee responsible for distribution. There is also the added benefit of avoiding probate. Dozier Law, P.C. Wills, Trusts & Estates Attorneys in Rincon, Effingham County, Georgia will work with you to determine if a trust is the right thing for you.

Other

Under Georgia probate law, Year’s Support provides needed financial support for a family for a period of time after a decedent’s death. The surviving spouse and minor children can petition the probate court for an award of property to meet their immediate financial needs. This can be done with or without a Will in place.

Filing a Caveat of a Will in probate court in Georgia stops the probate process for a period of up to 6 months. A Caveat is a legal objection to a Will when there is significant doubt that a Will is legally valid. There can be a number of different claims made regarding legality of a Will, and the filing provides the probate court with the time needed to address the claims.

Working with probate courts as the executor of a Will can be confusing and frustrating. If you are having issues and need legal advice, Dozier Law, P.C. is happy to discuss this with you.

For articles with additional information on Wills, Trusts & Estates, go to our Wills, Trusts & Estates Blog.

Following are several reviews from the many clients that we have helped over the years;

“Dozier Law, P.C. has been an invaluable resource in setting up our Last Will & Testaments and POA’s. They prepared documents tailored to our specific needs and their team took the time to explain all documents in full. The professionalism and kindness Dozier Law, P.C. provides with each interaction is commendable and we are truly thankful for their assistance.”
Amber, Google Review

“Adam guided my husband and I through a difficult time having to deal with 2 probates. He made the process seamless and kept us in the loop throughout the entire time. I would 100% recommend Adam for any of your needs!!”
Allison, AVVO Review

Take a look at additional reviews from Wills, Trusts & Estates clients.

Legal matters involving Wills, Trusts & Estates can be complex. These are very important matters with significant consequences, and it is important to get these things right. Contact Dozier Law, P.C. Wills, Trusts & Estates Attorneys in Rincon, Effingham County, Chatham County, Bulloch County, Screven County, and Bryan County, Georgia for experienced and knowledgeable legal support.

Schedule Consultation

Schedule a FREE consultation to discuss a Will, Power of Attorney (POA), or Advance Directive For Healthcare (ADH). There will be an initial consultation charge for Trusts, Estate Planning, and all other matters.