Georgia will drafting that protects your family and your wishes.
A properly drafted last will and testament ensures your estate passes to the right people, under Georgia law, with minimal conflict and delay.
Last Will & TestamentPour-Over WillsTestamentary TrustsGuardianship Designations
What We Do
Wills & Testament Services
We serve Hall County, GA, Jackson County, GA, Gwinnett County, GA, Banks County, GA, and all of Northeast Georgia with comprehensive will drafting and estate document services.
Core Service
Last Will & Testament Drafting
Your last will and testament is the foundation of any estate plan. At GA Law Group, we draft customized wills that clearly name your beneficiaries, designate an executor, and specify how your assets should be distributed. We ensure your will meets all Georgia execution requirements — including proper witnessing and notarization — so it will hold up in probate court without challenge.
Core Service
Pour-Over Wills & Testamentary Trusts
If you have a living trust, a pour-over will works alongside it to capture any assets not transferred to the trust during your lifetime, directing them into the trust at death. For clients who want to establish a trust through their will, we draft testamentary trust provisions that activate at death and provide structured, ongoing asset management for heirs.
Core Service
Guardianship Designations for Minor Children
Parents with minor children have a critical reason to have a valid will: naming a guardian. Without a written designation, a Georgia court decides who raises your children — potentially someone you would not have chosen. We make sure your will clearly designates a primary guardian and an alternate, giving you the final word on who cares for your children.
Why It Matters
What happens without a valid Georgia will
Dying without a will — called dying intestate — means Georgia's default succession laws decide who gets your property, which may bear no resemblance to your wishes.
Risk Factor
Georgia's Intestacy Laws Take Over
Under O.C.G.A. § 53-2-1, Georgia distributes your estate in a fixed order: surviving spouse, then children, then parents, then siblings. If your family situation is non-traditional — blended families, unmarried partners, estranged relatives — the statutory result can be deeply contrary to your wishes. A will is the only way to override the default distribution.
Risk Factor
Court Appoints a Guardian for Your Children
Without a guardian designation, a Georgia probate court selects who raises your minor children. While courts generally favor close family members, there is no guarantee the person chosen is who you would have selected. A will with a clear guardianship designation gives you — not a judge — the final word on who cares for your children.
Risk Factor
Probate Becomes Longer and More Contentious
When there is no will, the probate court must determine who the valid heirs are — a process that can require extensive documentation and take far longer than an estate with a clear, valid will. Family disagreements about administration are far more common when there is no written instruction to follow.
Our plain-language guide walks through every decision you need to make — wills, trusts, beneficiaries, and probate — before your first attorney meeting.
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Service Area
Serving Hall County, Gwinnett County & Northeast Georgia
We serve Hall County, GA, Jackson County, GA, Gwinnett County, GA, Banks County, GA, and all of Northeast Georgia — providing accessible, high-quality legal representation close to home.
Hall County
Gainesville
Flowery Branch
Oakwood
Jackson County
Braselton
Jefferson
Commerce
Hoschton
Gwinnett County
Peachtree Corners
Lawrenceville
Duluth
Sugar Hill
Buford
Banks County
Homer
Maysville
Baldwin
Alto
FAQ
Common questions about wills in Georgia
Answers to the questions we hear most from clients across Gainesville, Lawrenceville, Jefferson, and Northeast Georgia.
What are the requirements for a valid will in Georgia?
In Georgia, a valid will must be in writing, signed by the testator (or by another person in the testator's presence and at their direction), and witnessed by two competent witnesses who sign in the testator's presence. Georgia does not recognize holographic (handwritten, unwitnessed) wills. Our attorneys ensure your will meets every formal requirement under O.C.G.A. § 53-4-20.
Can I write my own will without an attorney?
Technically yes, but it is inadvisable. DIY wills frequently have execution defects that render them void, ambiguous language that causes family conflict, or missing provisions that create problems if the primary beneficiary predeceases you. The cost of an attorney-drafted will is small compared to the cost of probate litigation over a defective one.
How do I choose an executor for my Georgia will?
Your executor (called a "personal representative" in Georgia) should be someone you trust completely, who is organized and financially responsible, and willing to take on the administrative work of settling an estate. They do not need to be an attorney — they can hire professionals. We recommend naming both a primary and an alternate executor in case your first choice is unable to serve.
When should I update my will?
Update your will after any major life change: marriage, divorce, the birth or adoption of a child, a significant change in assets, or the death of a named beneficiary or executor. In Georgia, divorce automatically revokes bequests to a former spouse, but it is still best practice to formally update your will rather than relying on statutory revocation.
Ready to protect your family with a proper Georgia will?
Serving Hall County, Jackson County, Gwinnett County, Banks County, and all of Northeast Georgia — including Gainesville, Flowery Branch, Oakwood, Braselton, Jefferson, Commerce, Lawrenceville, Duluth, Sugar Hill, Homer, and Maysville.