Beneficiary & Heir Rights

Rights of Beneficiaries and Heirs in Georgia Estates

The Atlanta estate lawyers at The Libby Law Firm are sensitive to the disharmony that can arise among a decedent’s surviving family members when their loved one’s personal belongings, real estate and investments are being distributed. If you are a beneficiary of a Georgia estate, you have the right to information about your loved one’s estate and how it is being administered. Our attorneys understand that the loss of a loved one can be a very emotional time and these emotions can cause even the closest of families to have conflicts with one another. We have helped beneficiaries in Atlanta and throughout the United States assert the rights they have to the decedent’s estate including:

• Beneficiaries who were not advised of the property distribution process
• Heirs who have been waiting years for an estate administrator to initiate the process of distributing property
• Beneficiaries who find out that the terms of the will were not followed by the administrator or the executor

WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS AS A BENEFICIARY?

In the event that you need an attorney to investigate any matter related to an estate– such as a will contest or the filing of a legal complaint for the poor performance of an estate executor–our probate attorneys have the knowledge and experience to advise you of your rights as an estate beneficiary. Some of these rights include:

1. An estate beneficiary is entitled to information regarding the original estate assets and inventory of such property.
2. An estate beneficiary may request that an accounting of the estate is completed by the administrator
3. A beneficiary is entitled to receive their benefits under the estate in a timely manner. The length of time will depend on the complexity of the estate.
4. While an executor is entitled to compensation, beneficiaries are entitled to review and approve or disapprove the level of compensation. If the beneficiaries do not agree with the level of compensation, a court must set it.
5. If a beneficiary is unhappy with the job that is being done by the estate executor/administrator, that beneficiary can request the court to remove the executor/administrator. A court will remove an executor/administrator if their removal is justified.

The Libby Law Firm have represented heirs in Atlanta and throughout the United States who felt that their rights as beneficiaries had been compromised. If you are a beneficiary in a Georgia Estate matter, please contact us to discuss your case and the rights that may have under Georgia Law.