Erik J. Broel

As probate attorneys, some of the most frequent questions we receive are “What is a conservatorship?”, “What is the difference between guardianship and conservatorship?” There are two main situations when someone needs conservatorship. The first circumstance is when a minor…

The “next of kin” term usually refers to the closest living blood relative, such as someone’s spouse, who will assume responsibility for decisions on behalf of the individual in case they become unable to make them themselves. This issue could…

Dealing with the death of a loved one is devastating enough without debt collectors beating down on your door to demand payment. If you’ve just assumed your role as an appointed executor or administrator, questions like these may have crossed…

When they pass away, people often want to leave their assets and properties to persons they care about. But sometimes, the deceased doesn’t make a will or dies with debts, and in such cases, their property must go through a…

The death of a parent can be emotionally devastating. If the parent passes away without a testament to establish how to distribute his possessions clearly, the confusion and trauma can be even more profound. One of the most frequently asked…

Often, the heirs of a deceased person wonder how long does the executor have to pay the beneficiaries. However, you should know that several factors – such as the complexity of the estate, the deceased’s debts, estate taxes, and any…

What are the surviving spouse rights in Georgia? Does the surviving spouse automatically inherit the entire decedent’s estate? Do they have to initiate inheritance proceedings? How much and what do the deceased’s children inherit? Can they be removed from the…

Do I need a probate for a small estate? Does Georgia have a simplified probate? Is there a small estate affidavit in Georgia? Which are the best alternatives to a probate estate? These are some of the questions our law…

So, you’ve recently learned that a deceased loved one had named you the executor of estate on their will — Now what? Before you accept the role, you must be aware of the responsibility that goes with it, including having…

Losing a loved one is difficult enough — managing their estate affairs while you grieve is even harder. When the responsibility to handle the deceased’s property falls on your shoulders, you may wonder what happens next. As a first step,…

Over the last few months we’ve written a lot about conditions that slow the probate process down. Considerably. We’ve picked on the Prince estate, but only because it’s continuously in the news and serves as a perfect example for a…

We haven’t talked about relatives in awhile. That hit home seeing some write-ups of the recent release of the biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the author of the Little House on the Prairies books – you know, the books the…