Georgia Probate

Remembering 5 Decades

  • Have you thought about digital estate planning?
    Estate planning today requires consideration of your "digital" assets. Here is an article.
  • How do you find an attorney?

    Choosing an Attorney Can Be Easier!  How?

  • Children are one of the primary reasons to plan well.
    Children - one of the most important reasons to plan.
  • What is a Last Will and Testament? What is in it? How do you make one? Why make one?
  • Home
  • Children, One of the Most Important Reasons to Plan
  • About Judge Jordan
  • Classes Developed and Presented by Judge Jordan
  • Choosing an Attorney
  • Probate Courts Help People
  • Resources Available to You
  • Wills
  • What Is A Last Will and Testament?
  • Where to Keep a Will?
  • Helping
You are here: Home / Archives for keep

Keep That Original Will!

September 28, 2015 By Lynwood Jordan

I sure hope he left a note where his will is!

I sure hope he left a note where his will is!

September 28, 2015.  The last few days have presented several cases in which the original last wills and testaments have been lost – or cannot be found after the maker’s death.  Please, please, please.  Do not let that happen with your original last will and testament.

After someone dies, It is necessary to file the original will with the Probate Court – not a copy, not a duplicate.  A person can have only one will.

If a person’s original last will and testament cannot be found after that person dies, then there is a presumption that the person revoked the will prior to his or her death.  That creates big problems.

Therefore, if you have taken the time to prepare your last will and testament, take the time to make sure the original is kept safe, is not lost, and that your loved ones know where to find it if something happens to you.

Your heirs, and your Probate Judge, will thank you!

In a separate post later, I’ll mention a handy way to make sure your will is safeguarded – by filing it with the Probate Court during your lifetime.  That is called filing the Last Will and Testament for “safekeeping.”  I’ll include a copy of the law in that post.

Filed Under: Estates, Planning Tagged With: keep, original, safe, will

“Thank You” Forsyth County for 45+ Years on the Square

Pages

  • About Judge Jordan
    • Classes Developed and Presented by Judge Jordan
  • Children, One of the Most Important Reasons to Plan
  • Choosing an Attorney
  • Probate Courts Help People
  • Resources Available to You
  • Wills
    • What Is A Last Will and Testament?
    • Where to Keep a Will?

Past Articles

Article Categories

  • Estates
  • Helpful Documents
  • Planning
  • Resources
  • Thank You
  • Uncategorized
© 2005–2025 Lynwood D. Jordan, Jr. Photographs used on this site are copyright Lynwood D. Jordan, Jr., or Canstock Photo.