What Is Included in the Will Package
The Hive Law’s will package includes three documents that work together. A will alone does not cover the period before death, when you may be alive but unable to make decisions. These three documents close that gap.
Last Will and Testament. Names who receives your assets when you die, names a guardian for minor children, and designates an executor to manage the probate process. Without a will, Georgia’s intestacy law determines who inherits, which may not match your intentions.
Financial Power of Attorney. Authorizes someone you trust to manage your finances if you become incapacitated. Without this document, your family must file a guardianship petition in Georgia probate court, a process that costs several thousand dollars and takes months.
Advance Healthcare Directive. Tells doctors what life-sustaining treatment you want (or do not want) if you cannot speak for yourself. Also designates a healthcare agent to make medical decisions on your behalf. Georgia hospitals and healthcare providers are required to follow this document.
What the Package Costs
Individual: $1,800 flat fee
Couple: $2,200 flat fee (both spouses, all three documents each) Both prices include all three documents, a review session with Melissa, and unlimited revisions before signing.
Will vs. Revocable Trust — Which One Do You Need
A will and a revocable trust solve different problems. Understanding the difference determines which one is right for your situation.
A will goes through probate. A trust does not. Every asset that passes under a will must go through Georgia’s probate court process. Probate costs an average of $15,000 in attorney and court fees. It takes 9 to 18 months. It creates a public court record. A revocable trust eliminates probate entirely for assets held inside it.
A will is appropriate when:
- Your estate is under $100,000 in total value
- You have no real estate in your name
- Your primary goal is naming a guardian for minor children
- You plan to upgrade to a full trust package within 1 to 2 years
A trust is better when:
- You own a home or any real property in Georgia
- You have savings, investment accounts, or retirement accounts
- You want your family to avoid probate and the costs that come with it
- You want the transfer of assets to happen privately and immediately
The Hive Law’s revocable trust package costs $4,000 and includes six documents, the trust, a pour-over will, deed transfer, financial power of attorney, healthcare directive, and HIPAA authorization. For most Georgia homeowners, the trust pays for itself by eliminating a single probate.
What a Will Cannot Do
Most people overestimate what a will accomplishes. These are the limits that matter.
A will does not avoid probate. This is the most common misconception. A will is a set of instructions that must be validated by Georgia’s probate court before anyone can act on them. The probate process, with its fees, timeline, and court oversight, applies regardless of how detailed the will is.
A will does not control beneficiary-designated assets. Life insurance, retirement accounts (401k, IRA), and accounts with a named beneficiary or transfer-on-death designation pass outside the will entirely. The beneficiary designation controls. If the designations are outdated or conflict with the will, the designation wins.
A will does not cover incapacity. A will takes effect only at death. If you become incapacitated before you die, through illness, injury, or cognitive decline, your will provides no authority for anyone to manage your finances or make medical decisions. That is what the power of attorney and healthcare directive are for.
A will does not keep your estate private. Everything filed in Georgia probate court is a public record. Asset inventories, account values, creditor claims, and the names of beneficiaries are searchable by anyone.
What Other Georgia Attorneys Charge
Georgia attorneys use two pricing models for wills.
Hourly billing. Most estate planning attorneys in Georgia bill at
$250 to $450 per hour. A standard will package, including the will, power of attorney, and healthcare directive, takes 2 to 4 billable hours. That puts the total between
$500 and $1,800 at the low end. If you have questions, need revisions, or the attorney needs to research an asset question, the meter runs.
Flat fee. Some attorneys charge a flat fee. Common ranges in Georgia:
$500 to $1,500 for a basic will alone. Add-ons for the power of attorney and healthcare directive are billed separately at most firms, typically $200 to $400 each. The Hive Law’s $1,800 individual package includes all three documents as a single flat fee. No hourly billing. No add-on charges. You know the exact price before you commit.
For a complete overview of estate planning in Georgia, see estate planning in Georgia.
