The Basics of Estate Planning - Wills

A will is a document through which a person states his intentions for disposing of his probate estate at the time of his death.  For a will to be valid, it must meet legal technicalities which are different from most contracts with which people are familiar.  It is a common misconception in Georgia that to create a valid will, a person only needs to handwrite his or her wishes and sign the document.  If the required formalities are ignored, then the will is not valid and cannot be admitted to probate, and the State will direct where your property will go.  A person's will can also change due to divorce, the birth of a child, or other events.