Georgia Business Owner Disability Statistics: How Many Georgians Running Their Own Business Report Each Difficulty, at What Ages, and in Which Industries
In 2024, about 42,600 Georgians who currently work in their own business as their main job reported at least one of the six difficulties the Census Bureau asks about, and about 10,500 reported serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions. A reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.
In 2024, about 42,600 Georgians who currently work in their own business as their main job reported at least one of the six difficulties the Census Bureau asks about (7.8% of them). About 10,500 reported serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions (1.9%).
This report counts Georgians whose main job is their own business and who told the Census Bureau they have serious difficulty hearing, seeing, concentrating, remembering or making decisions, or walking or climbing stairs, or difficulty dressing or bathing or doing errands alone. We show each difficulty, at every age, in every industry, and next to Georgia employees of the same age. These are people, not businesses. A difficulty reported on a survey form is not a diagnosis, and it is not legal incapacity. Nothing here says these owners cannot run their business. This report is part of The Hive Law’s Georgia business owner statistics.
Three things stand out. Serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions does not climb with age among working owners the way hearing and walking difficulties do. At the same age, owners report a difficulty about as often as employees. And these counts leave out a group: people whose last job was their own business and who have stopped working, where these difficulties are more common.
Key Findings
In 2024, about 10,500 Georgians who currently work in their own business as their main job, 1.9% of them, reported serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions (Census survey data). This is a difficulty reported on a survey form, not a diagnosis, a capacity assessment or a court finding, and not legal incapacity.How we got this
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey); analysis by The Hive Law
In 2024, about 42,600 Georgians who currently work in their own business as their main job, 7.8% of them, reported at least one of the six difficulties the Census Bureau asks about (Census survey data). These are people, not businesses, and a reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.How we got this
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey); analysis by The Hive Law
About 7 in 10 Georgians who currently work in their own business as their main job and report serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions are younger than 55 (71.9%, 2020 to 2024 Census data), close to the 67.2% of all Georgians working in their own business as their main job who are younger than 55. A reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.How we got this
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey); analysis by The Hive Law
In 2024, 33.0% of Georgians aged 75 or older who were still working in their own business as their main job reported at least one of the six Census difficulties, against 6.7% of those aged 55 to 64 (Census survey data). A reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.How we got this
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey); analysis by The Hive Law
Among Georgians aged 55 to 64 whose most recent job was their own business, about half of those who reported serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions were no longer working (48.5%), against one in five of the whole group (19.7%), in 2020 to 2024 Census data that leave out people living in nursing homes or other institutions. The same gap shows at every age from 25 up. The survey does not say why anyone stopped working or what happened to the business, and a reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.How we got this
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey); analysis by The Hive Law
At the same age, Georgians who currently work in their own business as their main job report at least one of the six Census difficulties about as often as Georgia employees do: 7.8% against 8.0%, with employees weighted to the owners’ ages (2020 to 2024 Census data). A reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.How we got this
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey); analysis by The Hive Law
After allowing for age, Georgians whose main job is their own business in real estate, rental and leasing report at least one of the six Census difficulties less often than all Georgians whose main job is their own business: 5.3% against 7.8% (5.4% before allowing for age; 2020 to 2024 Census data). Finance and insurance is the only other industry clearly below the overall share. A reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.How we got this
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey); analysis by The Hive Law
How Many Georgians Running Their Own Business Report a Disability
The Census Bureau’s American Community Survey asks about six difficulties. A person who answers yes to any one of them is counted as having a disability. That is the only measure we call a disability. For each single difficulty, we use the Census Bureau’s own words.
In 2024, about 42,600 Georgians who currently work in their own business as their main job, 7.8% of them, reported at least one of the six difficulties the Census Bureau asks about (Census survey data). These are people, not businesses, and a reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.
Here is each difficulty. The survey asks about each one separately.
Difficulty (the Census Bureau’s words)
People
Share of Georgians working in their own business as their main job
Any of the six
42,603
7.8%
Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
14,285
2.6%
Serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs
12,555
2.3%
Blind or serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses
11,474
2.1%
Serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions
10,465
1.9%
Difficulty doing errands alone
5,634
1.0%
Difficulty dressing or bathing
withheld
withheld
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 microdata, Georgia. All figures are for 2024.
Do not add the rows together. One person can report more than one difficulty. Of the working owners who reported any difficulty, 79.7% reported exactly one of the six (2024). The dressing or bathing figure is withheld because too few people in the survey reported it for a reliable number.
The survey does not ask whether the business has employees. So these figures cannot be split into owners of businesses with no employees and owners of businesses with employees. If you run your business on your own, our guide to estate planning for a solo business owner may help.
Serious Difficulty Concentrating, Remembering or Making Decisions
The survey asks whether, because of a physical, mental or emotional condition, a person has serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions. It does not ask what the condition is. It does not ask how long it has lasted. A person in the household fills in the answer. Nobody tests anyone.
In 2024, about 10,500 Georgians who currently work in their own business as their main job, 1.9% of them, reported serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions (Census survey data). This is a difficulty reported on a survey form, not a diagnosis, a capacity assessment or a court finding, and not legal incapacity.
More than half of them, 53.4%, reported no other difficulty (2024). About one in eight of these yes answers were filled in by the Census Bureau for a missing answer, not given by the household.
Women who currently work in their own business as their main job in Georgia report serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions more often than men: 2.6% against 1.7% (2020 to 2024). The gap remains after allowing for age. For any of the six difficulties, women and men are 8.0% and 7.6%, a gap too small to measure. The data do not say why. A reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.
Disability by Age Among Georgians Running Their Own Business
These figures are for Georgians still working in their own business as their main job. They are not figures for all Georgians of these ages.
Age
Georgians working in their own business as their main job
Reported any of the six difficulties
Share
16 to 44
241,069
14,207
5.9%
45 to 54
133,008
9,150
6.9%
55 to 64
111,496
7,506
6.7%
65 to 74
49,015
7,439
15.2%
75 or older
13,020
4,301
33.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 microdata, Georgia. All figures are for 2024.
In 2024, 33.0% of Georgians aged 75 or older who were still working in their own business as their main job reported at least one of the six Census difficulties, against 6.7% of those aged 55 to 64 (Census survey data). A reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.
The share is about the same at 45 to 54 and 55 to 64 (6.9% and 6.7%). It is higher at 65 to 74 (15.2%) and higher again at 75 or older.
Read the older rows with care. They count only people still working. Many people stop working as they get older. Among Georgians aged 65 to 74 whose most recent job was their own business, 40.4% were no longer working (2020 to 2024, people living in nursing homes or other institutions not counted). So these rows describe the owners who are still working, not everyone who ran a business at that age.
Every Age and Every Difficulty
The single year of 2024 has too few survey records to split every difficulty by age. So this table pools five years of the survey. Each figure is an average year across 2020 to 2024.
Where this data comes from
These are Georgians who are working and whose main job is their own business. People who have stopped working are not in these bars.
A difficulty is what a household reported on the Census form. It is not a medical diagnosis, and it is not legal incapacity.
Each figure is an average year across 2020 to 2024.
The two bars in each age group overlap: a person with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions is also counted in the any-difficulty bar.
At every age from 25 up, people whose last job was their own business and who report this difficulty are more often no longer working, so the line describes owners who are still working.
Based on 24,045 Census survey records.
Survey records behind each figure: 24,045 survey records (an average of 528,955 working owners a year)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year Public Use Microdata Sample (Georgia). Analysis: The Hive Law.
Age
Any of the six
Hearing
Seeing
Concentrating, remembering or making decisions
Walking or climbing stairs
Dressing or bathing
Errands alone
16 to 24
5.9%
withheld
withheld
4.5%
withheld
withheld
withheld
25 to 34
5.1%
1.0%
1.4%
2.7%
withheld
withheld
1.0%
35 to 44
4.7%
1.0%
1.0%
2.0%
1.3%
withheld
0.9%
45 to 54
7.0%
2.2%
2.2%
1.6%
2.2%
withheld
0.7%
55 to 64
8.6%
3.3%
2.0%
1.7%
3.4%
0.4%
1.2%
65 to 74
16.1%
7.2%
3.6%
1.6%
7.2%
withheld
1.9%
75 or older
30.1%
15.4%
6.8%
2.8%
13.2%
withheld
4.3%
All ages
7.8%
2.6%
1.9%
2.1%
2.6%
0.4%
1.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 microdata, Georgia. Share of Georgians working in their own business as their main job in each age group, an average year across 2020 to 2024. “Withheld” means too few people in the survey for a reliable figure.
Hearing and walking difficulties rise steeply with age. Serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions does not. It is between 1.6% and 2.8% in every age group from 35 up, and 4.5% at 16 to 24 (2020 to 2024). Why is not measured.
About 7 in 10 Georgians who currently work in their own business as their main job and report serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions are younger than 55 (71.9%, 2020 to 2024 Census data), close to the 67.2% of all Georgians working in their own business as their main job who are younger than 55. A reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.
In 2024 alone, the share younger than 55 was 77.8%. Most of the people reporting this difficulty are younger than 55 mainly because most working owners are younger than 55. It does not describe their condition, which the survey does not ask about.
These figures describe owners who are still working. At every age from 25 up, people whose last job was their own business and who report this difficulty are more often no longer working. That is shown in the people these numbers leave out.
Owners and Employees of the Same Age
Employees here are Georgians working for someone else, including government.
Where this data comes from
Working owners are Georgians whose main job is their own business. Employees are Georgians working for someone else, including government.
Overall, owners report a difficulty a little more often than employees, 7.8% against 6.9%, because owners are older. At the same ages it is 7.8% against 8.0%.
The small gaps within single age groups are inside the survey’s margin of error.
A difficulty is what a household reported on the Census form. It is not a medical diagnosis, and it is not legal incapacity.
Each figure is an average year across 2020 to 2024.
Survey records behind each figure: 24,045 owner and 199,273 employee survey records
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year Public Use Microdata Sample (Georgia). Analysis: The Hive Law.
At the same age, Georgians who currently work in their own business as their main job report at least one of the six Census difficulties about as often as Georgia employees do: 7.8% against 8.0%, with employees weighted to the owners’ ages (2020 to 2024 Census data). A reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.
Without allowing for age, owners look higher: 7.8% against 6.9% for employees. That gap comes from owners being older: once age is allowed for, no gap is left that the survey can measure. The data do not show why, in either direction.
Age
Owners, any of the six
Employees, any of the six
Owners, concentrating, remembering or making decisions
Employees, concentrating, remembering or making decisions
16 to 24
5.9%
5.5%
4.5%
3.5%
25 to 34
5.1%
5.0%
2.7%
2.8%
35 to 44
4.7%
5.4%
2.0%
2.4%
45 to 54
7.0%
6.8%
1.6%
2.0%
55 to 64
8.6%
9.6%
1.7%
1.7%
65 to 74
16.1%
15.1%
1.6%
2.2%
75 or older
30.1%
29.1%
2.8%
4.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 microdata, Georgia. An average year across 2020 to 2024.
The 2024 survey alone shows a lower share for owners aged 55 to 64 than for employees of the same age: 6.7% against 9.7%. The five years of data together do not confirm it: 8.6% against 9.6%, a difference too small to measure. We give no reason for either figure.
No difference by type of difficulty is established, for all ages together or for any single age group, once the number of comparisons we made is allowed for.
The People These Numbers Leave Out
The figures in this report mostly count only people who are working. This section looks at a wider group: Georgians whose current job, or most recent job in the past five years, was their own business, whether they are working now or not. It leaves out people living in a nursing home or other institution. These are not all current owners, because some of them have stopped working.
Where this data comes from
The group is Georgians not living in a nursing home or other institution whose current job, or most recent job in the past five years, was their own business, whether they are working now or not.
The gap is clear at every age from 25 up. At 16 to 24 it is too small to be sure of.
The survey does not say why anyone stopped working. The difficulty may have come before, after, or have nothing to do with it.
The survey does not say what happened to the business: whether it closed, was sold, or is run by someone else.
A difficulty is what a household reported on the Census form. It is not a medical diagnosis, and it is not legal incapacity.
Each figure is an average year across 2020 to 2024.
Survey records behind each figure: 31,155 survey records (people not living in a nursing home or other institution whose most recent job was self-employment)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year Public Use Microdata Sample (Georgia). Analysis: The Hive Law.
Among Georgians aged 55 to 64 whose most recent job was their own business, about half of those who reported serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions were no longer working (48.5%), against one in five of the whole group (19.7%), in 2020 to 2024 Census data that leave out people living in nursing homes or other institutions. The same gap shows at every age from 25 up. The survey does not say why anyone stopped working or what happened to the business, and a reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.
Age
Share of the whole group no longer working
Of those with any of the six difficulties, no longer working
Of those with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions, no longer working
16 to 24
27.3%
45.3%
42.1% (gap not established)
25 to 34
18.5%
39.1%
38.1%
35 to 44
15.2%
36.2%
45.8%
45 to 54
13.6%
28.4%
41.9%
55 to 64
19.7%
39.7%
48.5%
65 to 74
40.4%
43.8%
57.1%
75 or older
53.6%
60.0%
75.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 microdata, Georgia. An average year across 2020 to 2024.
This is not a pattern only among older people. For serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions, the gap is clear at every age from 25 up. At 16 to 24 it is too small to be sure of. For any of the six difficulties, the gap is clear at ages 25 to 64 only.
Three things the survey does not tell us:
Why anyone stopped working. The difficulty may have come before, after, or have nothing to do with it.
What happened to the business. It may have closed, been sold, or be run by someone else. The survey records the person’s last job, not the business.
Whether the stop is for good.
Unincorporated and Incorporated Businesses
The survey asks owners to tick a box saying whether their business is incorporated. That is the owner’s own answer, not a legal record. It does not tell you whether the business is an LLC or a sole proprietorship, or whether it has employees.
Georgians working in their own business as their main job who describe their business as not incorporated report at least one of the six difficulties more often than those who describe it as incorporated: 8.7% against 6.6% (2020 to 2024). The gap remains after allowing for age: 8.8% against 6.5%.
By type of difficulty, only walking or climbing stairs also shows a clear gap after allowing for age (3.1% against 2.1%). For serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions, a gap is not established.
Age
Not incorporated, any of the six
Incorporated, any of the six
16 to 24
6.5%
withheld
25 to 34
5.2%
4.9%
35 to 44
5.2%
4.0%
45 to 54
8.1%
5.8%
55 to 64
10.2%
7.0%
65 to 74
18.2%
13.6%
75 or older
35.0%
23.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 microdata, Georgia. An average year across 2020 to 2024.
The not-incorporated share is higher in every age group from 25 up. Age group by age group, the gap is large enough to be sure of only at 65 to 74. The data do not say why. A reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.
42,600Georgians working in their own business as their main job who reported a difficulty in 2024 (not legal incapacity)
10,500of them reported serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions (2024; not legal incapacity)
33.0%of Georgians 75 and older still working in their own business as their main job reported a difficulty (2024; not legal incapacity)
Every Industry
Each person is counted in the industry of their main job. Some industries have older owners than others, so we show each industry two ways: as counted, and after allowing for age, as if every industry had the same age mix as working owners overall.
Where this data comes from
Each bar is adjusted so every industry has the same age mix as Georgia working owners overall. Before that adjustment, real estate is 5.4% and wholesale trade 12.1%. The wholesale figure rests on about 500 survey records and is not clearly above owners overall even before the adjustment.
Only real estate and finance are clearly below owners overall (7.8%). No industry is clearly highest; the top bars are within each other’s margin of error.
Industry is the industry of the owner’s main job.
Utilities, mining and management of companies have too few survey records to show.
A difficulty is what a household reported on the Census form. It is not a medical diagnosis, and it is not legal incapacity.
Each figure is an average year across 2020 to 2024.
Survey records behind each figure: 24,045 survey records; 16 industries shown
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year Public Use Microdata Sample (Georgia). Analysis: The Hive Law.
Industry
Georgians working in their own business as their main job (average year)
Share reporting any of the six difficulties
Share after allowing for age
Construction
86,217
7.4%
8.1%
Professional, scientific and technical services
71,216
7.5%
6.9%
Other services (except public administration)
60,657
9.2%
9.5%
Administrative, support and waste management
50,077
7.8%
8.3%
Health care and social assistance
38,720
8.6%
8.2%
Transportation and warehousing
38,298
8.7%
9.4%
Retail trade
38,101
8.3%
8.4%
Real estate, rental and leasing
27,847
5.4%
5.3%
Manufacturing
19,541
7.6%
7.2%
Accommodation and food services
18,958
5.9%
6.2%
Finance and insurance
17,985
5.5%
4.4%
Arts, entertainment and recreation
14,751
8.6%
8.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting
12,856
8.3%
8.1%
Educational services
11,442
6.6%
6.4%
Information
10,583
4.7%
5.5%
Wholesale trade
10,332
12.1%
9.1%
All industries
528,955
7.8%
7.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 microdata, Georgia. An average year across 2020 to 2024. Utilities, mining and management of companies have too few survey records to show; they are in the All industries total.
After allowing for age, Georgians whose main job is their own business in real estate, rental and leasing report at least one of the six Census difficulties less often than all Georgians whose main job is their own business: 5.3% against 7.8% (5.4% before allowing for age; 2020 to 2024 Census data). Finance and insurance is the only other industry clearly below the overall share. A reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.
No industry is clearly highest. Real estate owners are older than most, with 40.0% aged 55 or older, yet the share of them reporting a difficulty is still lower than the overall share. Why is not measured.
Wholesale trade shows why the age step matters. As counted, its share is 12.1%, the largest figure in the table, but with about 500 survey records it is not clearly higher than owners overall even before the age step. Half of its owners are 55 or older, and after allowing for age its share is 9.1%.
The real estate row counts people whose main job is their own business in real estate, rental and leasing, which includes agents and brokers who work for themselves as well as landlords. The survey cannot find landlords who rent out property on the side. If you own rentals, read what happens to your rental properties if you become incapacitated.
Still Running the Business
In 2024, about 25,300 Georgians working in their own business as their main job who reported a difficulty, 59.4% of them, usually worked 35 or more hours a week, including about 5,800 who reported serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions (55.2% of that group). Among those who reported no difficulty, the share was 71.5%. Part of the gap is age: among owners aged 16 to 64, the shares are 66.8% against 74.2% (2020 to 2024). A reported difficulty is not legal incapacity.
“Usually work 35 or more hours a week” is not the same as full-time. The survey asks about usual hours, not how many weeks a year someone worked.
Two Census Bureau tables touch this subject. Neither splits working owners by age or by type of difficulty.
Census table S1811. In 2024, 6.8% of employed Georgians with a disability worked in their own business that was not incorporated, and 4.3% in their own incorporated business. Among employed Georgians without a disability, the two shares were 5.4% and 4.6%. The base is workers with a disability, not owners. From this table, a reader can work out that about 43,800 self-employed Georgians with a disability were working in 2024. Our own count is close to that and within the table’s margin of error. The table does not split the self-employed by age, by type of difficulty or by industry.
The Annual Business Survey. This survey asks owners of businesses with paid staff a different question: whether they have “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of … major life activities.” In 2023, 2.6% of the owners of Georgia’s responding employer businesses said yes (U.S. 2.8%), and 4.2% said they did not know. This is a different question, asked of different people, in a different year. Do not compare it with any figure from the American Community Survey, which covers every figure in this report outside this paragraph, including table S1811. It also gives the share by industry, for owners of businesses with paid staff only.
We also searched DisabilityStatistics.org, the Annual Disability Statistics Compendium, and the SBA Office of Advocacy’s 2024 report on entrepreneurs with disabilities, which covers the whole country with no Georgia figure. None of them gives Georgia owners by age, by type of difficulty or by industry.
Who These Figures Count
Every figure in this report counts Georgians who were working and whose main job, the job where they work the most hours, is their own business, incorporated or not, except where a sentence names a different group. The People These Numbers Leave Out, and the sentences that point to it, add people who have stopped working. What the Census Bureau Already Publishes reports two other Census tables. In 2024 the main group is 547,608 people.
That is not a count of every Georgia business owner. It leaves out people whose business is a side business, and people who are not working right now. It counts people, not businesses. It is not a count of full-time owners.
It is the same definition our Georgia business succession statistics use. That page counts 554,479 for 2023. The difference between the two years is too small to call a real change.
How We Worked This Out
The data. Every figure we worked out ourselves comes from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, read record by record. The two published tables in What the Census Bureau Already Publishes are quoted as the Census Bureau printed them. The 2024 survey has 5,484 records for Georgians working in their own business as their main job. For the tables split by age, type and industry, we pooled five years, 2020 to 2024, which gives 24,045 records. Those figures are an average year across 2020 to 2024. We say which one each figure uses.
The six questions. A person counts as reporting a difficulty if the household’s form says yes to any of these: deaf or serious difficulty hearing; blind or serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses; serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions because of a physical, mental or emotional condition; serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs; difficulty dressing or bathing; or difficulty doing errands alone because of a physical, mental or emotional condition.
What we do not show. We do not show a figure when fewer than 20 people in the survey are behind it, when the group it is a share of has fewer than 50, or when its margin of error is too wide. Those cells say “withheld.” They are never left blank or shown as zero.
When we call a difference real. We made many comparisons. The more comparisons you make, the more likely one looks large by chance. So we call a difference clear only when it is large enough to be sure of after allowing for how many comparisons were made. Anything smaller we call “not established.” That does not mean there is no difference.
“After allowing for age.” Some groups are older than others, and difficulties rise with age. To compare fairly, we work out what each group’s share would be if it had the same age mix as Georgia’s working owners overall.
What kind of figure these are. Every figure is counted directly from survey records and weighted the way the Census Bureau weights them. None is a model or a projection.
What the full tables changed. Looking at every age and every industry, not just totals, changed three things. The 2024 survey alone showed a lower share for owners aged 55 to 64 than for employees, but five years of data do not confirm it. Owners look higher than employees without allowing for age, but that gap is the owners’ older age mix. And wholesale trade’s large share as counted, 12.1%, falls to 9.1% once age is allowed for.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year Public Use Microdata Sample, Georgia
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year Public Use Microdata Sample, Georgia
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 Subject Definitions, the wording of the six difficulty questions
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table S1811, Georgia: class of worker of employed people with and without a disability
U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Annual Business Survey, Characteristics of Business Owners (table AB2300CSCBO), Georgia and United States
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After my father passed away, my mother had to rely on my father's employer to navigate the estate. It was a disaster. After this experience, I knew I needed a plan. I turned to The Hive Law to set up a trust. I no longer have to worry about my wife and children going through a difficult process if something happens to me. I highly recommend The Hive Law!
NicholasGoogle Review
My biggest fear was that if I died first, my wife would have no idea how to navigate the estate and legal system. I reached out to The Hive Law and they put my mind at ease immediately. Their process is easy to follow and they took care of everything. The Hive Law is the best decision I've made for my family's future.
Tristen PursleyGoogle Review
Working with Melissa Breyer to set up our Living Trust was a wonderful experience. She and her entire team were knowledgeable, professional, and made the whole process easy to understand. I highly recommend The Hive Law for all your estate planning needs!
Sharon PalmerGoogle Review
We highly recommend Hive Law. They were extremely patient and responsive, answering our many rounds of questions regarding trusts and estate planning. Shawn consistently responded the same day we sent our questions, even while his family was on vacation, which we greatly appreciated. Shawn was also always available to discuss matters by phone whenever we needed additional clarification on the options we were considering. Both are very knowledgeable in estate planning, and we would confidently recommend Hive Law to friends and family.
Daryl CleverGoogle Review
The Hive Law made the entire estate planning and trust process easy to understand and stress-free. Melissa and Shawn walked us through every step and answered all of our questions. We feel confident that our family is protected. Highly recommend!
The Schmitty FamilyGoogle Review
My mom chose The Hive firm to help with estate planning and developing a trust to protect her assets. I sat in on her meeting with Melissa, and Melissa did a great job of simplifying complex legalese into easily understood concepts. Shawn was very quick to get us our documents and all steps in the process were clear and easy. They make a great team and we are thankful for their help!
Ed UdvadiaGoogle Review
I used The Hive Law to help me create a trust for my family. The process was straightforward and Melissa and Shawn made sure I understood each step. They were responsive to all of my questions. I feel much more confident about my family's future now. Highly recommend!
Nate TablerGoogle Review
Working with Shawn and Melissa at The Hive Law has been an excellent experience. They were one of three firms we contacted, but she made the strongest impression during our initial call. They asked great questions to understand our situation and clearly explained what we needed to put in place. We initially had some reservations about their fully virtual approach, but those concerns were quickly put to rest. After the first two calls, it was clear how easy they are to work with and how well connected we felt. Communication has been clear, organized, and reassuring throughout the process. Shawn and Melissa are professional, approachable, and thorough. We feel confident we're in good hands and highly recommend The Hive Law for estate planning.
Kyle HaynieGoogle Review
The Hive Law Firm, and specifically Melissa, has been wonderful to work with during our estate planning process. She is knowledgeable, patient, and thorough. She answered all of our questions and made the process easy to understand. I highly recommend The Hive Law!
Teresa OverstreetGoogle Review
Shawn and Melissa were amazing to work with! My partner and I recently bought a house and wanted to get important things like wills, healthcare directives, etc. set up. They were incredible at answering all our questions and working with us to make sure we felt confident in all of the legal aspects. Having tried to do this online before with one of the DIY tools, it was just an amazing experience to get to talk through what we wanted with a knowledgeable human and have them take care of the details.
Denali PrayGoogle Review
Hive Law was awesome to work with! Melissa and Shawn explained everything, kept things stress-free, and were always quick to respond to my questions. They made the whole process simple and smooth from start to finish. Highly recommend if you want a team that's knowledgeable but also easy to work with.
Ryan RollinsGoogle Review
I lost my father in February of this year without any estate planning in place. The process of dealing with the probate court has been overwhelming and expensive. After this experience, I contacted The Hive Law to set up a trust so my children never have to go through what I've been through. Melissa and Shawn were compassionate, knowledgeable, and made the entire process simple. I highly recommend The Hive Law!
Rachel ShannonGoogle Review
I used to know the bare minimum about probate and trust. I first encountered Shawn Breyer on Facebook. He was offering a webinar that I watched. That gave me a better understanding of probate versus trust. I was impressed enough to have him and his wife represent me. I had my initial one on one interview with Melissa Breyer, it went smoothly and she made everything clear. We are now proceeding with getting a revocable trust in place.
Jer UdvadiaGoogle Review
The Hive Law has been amazing throughout the process of setting up our trust. Every detail is considered and no stone is left unturned. They have been easy and enjoyable to work with. I would absolutely recommend them! Don't let your estate be turned over to Probate!!
Christy EvansGoogle Review
The Hive Law helped us set up a revocable trust. Their webinar is great for answering any questions you may have, to clarify and avoid probate. Get in touch with them right away, you won't be disappointed.
Keith WisemanGoogle Review
Melissa was great! She gave me an honest review of my future plans that I already have in place. Turns out, I already had my ducks in a row!!! She was a pleasure to talk with!!
Pat PaineGoogle Review
For several years now I have been thinking about having a will drawn up, but continued to procrastinate until an older sibling had a medical situation occur which none of the family was prepared for. This was the determining factor for me to get it done. We never know when an emergency medical situation could arise and I didn't want my other siblings to be scrambling around trying to figure things out in the event I couldn't make any decisions for myself, or God forbid I pass away. My attorney (Melissa), was very funny and made the whole experience quite entertaining. She listened to what I wanted and explained the type of plan I needed. Thanks Melissa & Shawn for making the process an enjoyable experience.
Rena SolomonGoogle Review
The Hive Law Firm did an excellent job helping my mother-in-law with her estate plan. The process felt overwhelming at first, but their team walked us through every step with compassion and professionalism. They listened to our concerns, explained things in simple terms, and made sure our mother's wishes were honored. We're very grateful for their guidance.
Reneida WilliamsGoogle Review
The Hive Law firm did an outstanding job helping my family members with their estate planning. They made the process clear, smooth and stress free. Truly professional and caring team, highly recommend!
Nakia EllisonGoogle Review
The whole process of creating a family trust felt simple, clear, and stress-free. We really appreciated how patient, helpful, and easy to communicate with the team was throughout everything. Shawn and Melissa gave us great guidance and helped us feel confident every step of the way. We're grateful for their support and would definitely recommend them.
Allen WakefieldGoogle Review
Questions About Georgia Business Owner Disability Statistics
In 2024, about 42,600 Georgians who currently work in their own business as their main job, 7.8% of them, reported at least one of the six difficulties the Census Bureau asks about, according to The Hive Law’s analysis of Census survey data. These are people, not businesses. The count leaves out people whose business is a side business and people who are not working right now, so it is not a count of every Georgia business owner. The six difficulties are hearing; seeing; concentrating, remembering or making decisions; walking or climbing stairs; dressing or bathing; and doing errands alone. A difficulty reported on a survey form is not a diagnosis and not legal incapacity.
In 2024, about 10,500 Georgians who currently work in their own business as their main job, 1.9% of them, reported serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions because of a physical, mental or emotional condition, according to Census survey data analyzed by The Hive Law. The survey does not name the condition. The answer comes from a survey form: it is not a diagnosis, a capacity assessment or a court finding, and it is not legal incapacity. About 7 in 10 of the Georgians working in their own business as their main job who report this difficulty are younger than 55 (71.9%, 2020 to 2024), close to the 67.2% of all Georgians working in their own business as their main job who are younger than 55.
Among Georgians still working in their own business as their main job, 6.7% of those aged 55 to 64 and 33.0% of those aged 75 or older reported at least one of the six Census difficulties in 2024. Hearing and walking difficulties climb steeply with age, but serious difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions does not: it is between 1.6% and 2.8% in every age group from 35 up (2020 to 2024). These figures count only people still working, and at every age from 25 up, people whose last job was their own business and who report that difficulty are more often no longer working. None of these figures is a finding of legal incapacity.
At the same age, Georgians who currently work in their own business as their main job and Georgia employees report at least one of the six Census difficulties at about the same rate: 7.8% for owners against 8.0% for employees, with employees weighted to the owners’ ages (2020 to 2024 Census data). Without allowing for age, owners look higher, 7.8% against 6.9%, because owners are older. No difference by type of difficulty is established, and the data do not show why the shares are what they are. A difficulty reported on the survey is not legal incapacity.
After allowing for age, only two industries have a share clearly lower than the share for all Georgians working in their own business as their main job (7.8%): finance and insurance (4.4%) and real estate, rental and leasing (5.3%), in 2020 to 2024 Census data. Real estate is 5.4% before allowing for age, even though 40.0% of its owners are 55 or older. No industry is clearly highest. The survey counts the industry of each person’s main job, and it does not say why the shares differ. These are reported difficulties, not legal incapacity.
In 2024, 6.8% of employed Georgians with a disability worked in their own business that was not incorporated, against 5.4% of employed Georgians without a disability, according to the Census Bureau’s published table S1811. That difference is clear once the survey’s margin of error is allowed for. For incorporated businesses the shares were 4.3% and 4.6%, a difference too small to measure. These are shares of all employed Georgians, not of business owners, and they are not adjusted for age, so they do not show that a disability makes anyone more or less likely to work for themselves. A disability reported on a survey is not legal incapacity.
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