Estate Planning
Revocable Living Trust Attorney in Atlanta, Georgia
A revocable trust keeps your home and assets out of probate court. Your family gets immediate access when you die no court delays, no fees, no public filings. You stay in full control while you are alive.
Find Out Where You Stand
How a Revocable Living Trust Works in Georgia to Avoid Probate
When you own property in Georgia and die without a trust, your family goes to probate court — a process that takes months, costs money, and plays out in public records. A revocable living trust transfers your property directly to your beneficiaries without court involvement. Melissa Breyer drafts every trust personally so your assets go to the right people at the right time.
You have spent years building what you have. A home. Savings. Maybe a business or rental property. You have people who depend on you.
Most families assume a will is enough to handle all of it when they die. It is not.
A will does not keep your family out of court. When you die with a will, your estate still goes through probate. Probate is a public court process managed by the county probate court where you lived. Anyone can search those records and see what you owned, who you left it to, and how much.
Probate also takes time. In Georgia, it typically runs 9 to 18 months. If your estate includes rental properties, a business, out-of-state real estate, blended family dynamics, children with disabilities, or medical debts, that timeline can stretch to 30 months or more. During that entire time, your family cannot access the assets tied up in the process.
And it costs money. Court fees and attorney fees on an average Georgia estate run about $15,000. Complex estates regularly reach $35,000 or more.
If you have no plan at all, it is worse. Georgia intestacy law decides who gets your assets based on a statutory formula. That formula does not consider your relationships, your wishes, or what your family actually needs.
A revocable living trust solves all of this. It is the most direct way Georgia families keep their assets out of probate court while staying in full control during their lifetime.
Why a Will Is Not Enough to Protect Your Family
What Is a Revocable Living Trust
A revocable living trust is a legal document that holds your assets and transfers them to your family without going through probate. You create it, you control it, and you can change it at any time during your life.
You are called the grantor. You transfer your assets into the trust. You also serve as your own trustee, which means you keep full control of everything while you are alive. You can buy, sell, or move assets exactly as you do now.
You name a successor trustee in the document. That is the person who steps in when you pass away or if you ever become unable to manage your own affairs. Your successor trustee does not need court permission to act. They follow the instructions already in the trust document and distribute your assets directly to your beneficiaries.
What a Revocable Trust Does for Your Family
Your Family Avoids Probate Court
When you die with assets in your name alone, those assets go through probate. That means court filings, waiting periods, and public records before your family sees anything.
Assets held in a funded trust skip probate entirely. Your successor trustee distributes them to your beneficiaries according to your instructions. This can happen in weeks instead of months.
Your Finances Stay Private
Wills become public court records when they go through probate. Anyone can search the courthouse and see what you owned and who you left it to.
A trust never becomes a public record. Your finances, your beneficiaries, and the details of your plan stay private.
Your Family Has a Plan If You Are Incapacitated
If something happens to you and you can no longer manage your own finances, your successor trustee steps in immediately. They manage the trust assets on your behalf without a judge getting involved.
Without this structure, your family may have to go to court to establish a conservatorship just to pay your bills. That process takes time and puts a judge in charge of decisions that should be yours.
You Control Exactly How and When Your Family Receives Assets
A will can only leave assets in a lump sum. It does not let you control when your beneficiaries receive anything, how the money is spent, or what conditions apply. Once a will is executed, the assets transfer and that is the end of it.
A revocable trust lets you set precise instructions that a will cannot. You can hold assets in trust for a minor child and set the age at which they receive them outright. You can stagger distributions over time. You can specify conditions. You can leave different amounts to different people with different rules for each. A will goes through probate and distributes in a lump sum. A trust does not go through probate and distributes exactly the way you designed it.
Out-of-State Property Passes Without Double Probate
If you own property in another state and you die without a trust, your family does not open one probate. They open two.
The second probate is called ancillary probate, and it runs completely separate from the Georgia process. That means two probate timelines running simultaneously, two sets of attorney fees and court costs, and two courts that have to close before your family can access anything. Your Georgia beneficiaries cannot receive the out-of-state assets until ancillary probate fully closes and those assets are transferred back into the Georgia estate. If you own property in three states, your family is managing three probates at the same time. A funded trust eliminates all of it. One document handles every state.
What a Revocable Trust Does Not Do
A revocable trust does not protect your assets from creditors while you are alive. Because you control the trust and can take assets back out at any time, Georgia law treats those assets as yours. A creditor who gets a judgment against you can still reach them.
A revocable trust does not protect your assets from nursing home costs. If your home and savings are in a revocable trust and you need Medicaid to pay for long-term care, those assets still count toward eligibility and can be required to be spent down. Protecting against nursing home costs requires a different type of trust. Melissa will explain your options during your Design Meeting.
If protecting assets from creditors or nursing home costs is your primary goal, ask Melissa about an irrevocable trust during your Design Meeting.
What Is Included in Your Package
This is not a document purchase. It is a complete system that covers your family from the day you sign to the day your estate is fully distributed.
The Documents
Revocable Living Trust The core document that holds your assets and transfers them to your beneficiaries without probate.
Pour-Over Will A backup document that captures any asset not transferred into the trust during your lifetime and directs it into the trust after your death.
Quitclaim Deed Transfers your home into the trust so your real estate is properly funded and avoids probate.
Financial Power of Attorney Authorizes a person you choose to manage your financial affairs if you become incapacitated.
Advance Healthcare Directive Georgia’s single document that combines medical decision-making authority with your end-of-life care wishes. This covers both what some states call a healthcare power of attorney and a living will in one document.
HIPAA Authorization Allows your named person to access your medical information when needed to make decisions on your behalf.
The Implementation
Document Walk-Through Call Before you sign anything, Melissa walks through every document with you in plain language. You will understand exactly what each document does and why.
Trust Funding Session Creating the document is only the first step. Your trust only works if your assets are actually transferred into it. Melissa walks you through retitling your accounts, explains exactly what to say to your bank and brokerage, and prepares the deed to transfer your home.
Funding Checkup After the funding session, The Hive Law verifies that your accounts transferred correctly. If something is still in your name instead of the trust, we catch it.
The Included Services
Successor Trustee Orientation Call Most families name a family member or close friend as their successor trustee. That person has no idea what the role requires. Melissa calls them directly and walks them through their responsibilities so they are prepared when the time comes.
Professional Coordination Call Melissa briefs your CPA and financial advisor on your trust so everyone managing your finances is working from the same plan.
Surviving Spouse Transition Call When one spouse dies, the surviving spouse gets a dedicated call with Melissa. She walks them through what needs to happen next and makes sure nothing falls through the cracks.
Post-Signing Checklist A step-by-step checklist of everything to do after signing so nothing gets missed.
The Complete Family Trust Package includes 6 documents, 3 implementation sessions, and 4 included services. Other firms charge an estimated $7,297 for what is included here. The Hive Law flat fee is $3,500. No hourly billing. No surprise invoices. See the full trust package pricing breakdown for Family, Portfolio, and Legacy tiers.
The Guarantee
Every asset placed into the trust is guaranteed to avoid probate. If any asset goes through probate due to an error on The Hive Law’s part, The Hive Law handles the probate at no charge.
Who Needs a Revocable Living Trust in Georgia
You own a home in Georgia. Real estate is one of the most common assets that gets stuck in probate. A trust keeps your home out of court and transfers it directly to whoever you choose, without a judge involved.
You have a bank account or investment account with no beneficiary designation. Accounts in your name alone go through probate when you die. Transferring them into the trust removes them from that process entirely.
You have minor children. If you die before your children are ready to manage money on their own, a court will manage any assets they inherit until they come of age. A trust lets you name the person who manages those assets and set the exact age or conditions under which your children receive them.
You own a business. What happens to your ownership interest when you die depends entirely on how it is titled and whether you have a plan. A trust gives you a clear path for transferring that interest without probate complications and without a court deciding the outcome.
You are in a blended family. When you have children from a prior relationship and a current spouse, the default rules under Georgia law may not produce the outcome you want. A trust lets you be precise about who gets what, in what amount, and when.
You own property in more than one state. Each state has its own probate process. Your family will face separate attorneys, separate courts, and separate timelines for every state where you own real estate. One properly funded trust eliminates every one of those probates.
You want to control how your family receives their inheritance. If you want to stagger distributions, set conditions, or protect a beneficiary who is not ready to manage a large sum, a trust is the only tool that gives you that level of control.
How Much It Costs at The Hive Law
The Documents
- Revocable Living Trust
- Pour-Over Will
- Quitclaim Deed
- Financial Power of Attorney
- Advance Healthcare Directive
- HIPAA Authorization
The Implementation
- Document Walk-Through Call
- Trust Funding Session
- Funding Checkup
The Included Services
- Successor Trustee Orientation
- Professional Coordination Call
- Surviving Spouse Transition Call
- Post-Signing Checklist
If your situation is more complex, Melissa will give you an exact quote during your Design Meeting before you commit to anything. Common add-ons include additional Georgia properties at $550 each and out-of-state properties at $1,100 per state. If you also need an irrevocable trust for Medicaid planning or specific asset protection goals, that can be added to your package for $6,500 total.
The fact that you read this far tells us something about you. You take this seriously. So do we.
See exactly what The Hive Law includes and charges for the Complete Family Trust Package: Georgia Revocable Trust — Flat-Fee Pricing →
Without a Trust
With a Trust
How It Works
A 15-Minute Call With Shawn
Tell us what is going on with your family. Shawn walks you through your options and what each one costs. Free.
The Design Meeting With Shawn and Melissa
In a 60-minute meeting, Shawn and Melissa review your assets, your family, and your goals together and confirm your price. This meeting is credited toward your plan if you move forward.
Review Every Document With Melissa
Before you sign, Melissa walks through every document with you in plain language. No legal jargon. No confusion about what you are signing.
Your Plan Is Complete
Melissa delivers your completed documents and explains exactly what your family needs to do. You leave knowing your plan is in place and your family is protected.
Melissa Breyer
Georgia Estate Planning Attorney
Melissa Breyer is a Georgia estate planning attorney who works exclusively on trust-based estate planning and LLC formation. She personally designs and drafts every plan at The Hive Law after the initial call. Every plan is built from scratch for your specific family, your specific assets, and your specific wishes.
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What Our Clients Say
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!!
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.
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!!
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.
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.
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!
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Complete Family Trust Package at The Hive Law is $3,500, a flat fee. It covers the revocable trust, the pour-over will, powers of attorney for both spouses, the healthcare directive, the HIPAA form, and the deed that moves your home into the trust. Before the package, you meet with Melissa and Shawn for a Design Meeting. That meeting is paid, and the fee is credited in full toward your package if you move forward.
An online service can produce a trust document, but the document is only part of the job. Most of these services stop at the paperwork. They do not prepare and record the deed that moves your home into the trust, walk you through the trust before you sign it, or get your successor trustee on the phone to explain the role. A trust that is never funded does not avoid probate. Those assets stay in your name and go through court when you die.
A revocable trust still needs a will beside it, called a pour-over will. If you die owning something that was never moved into the trust, the pour-over will sends it into the trust after your death. That asset may go through a short probate first, which is why funding matters. The pour-over will is included in your package at no extra cost.
A revocable trust does not protect your assets from nursing home costs. You control the trust and can take assets back out whenever you want, so Georgia counts those assets as yours. They count toward Medicaid eligibility and can be spent down before Medicaid pays for long term care. The tool built for that job is a Medicaid asset protection trust, and it works differently. We will go through your options during your Design Meeting.
You keep control of everything in a revocable trust. You serve as your own trustee while you are alive. You buy, sell, manage, and spend exactly as you do now, and nothing changes day to day. Control only changes with an irrevocable trust, which is a different tool used for a different reason.
The trust becomes irrevocable the moment you die. The person you named as successor trustee, once they accept the job, follows the instructions you set in the trust document and moves assets to your beneficiaries without going to court. The firm will also get your successor trustee on the phone to walk them through the job, at whatever point you choose.
A revocable trust can be changed at any time while you are alive and able to make your own decisions. You can amend it, add assets, remove assets, change your beneficiaries, or cancel it entirely. Put any change in writing and have Melissa update the document, so nobody has to guess later about what you wanted.
A Georgia revocable trust is generally recognized in other states. If you move, Melissa recommends a review to confirm your documents still do what you want under the law where you now live. The trust itself is usually fine. The pieces that often need updating are your beneficiary designations, the deed on your home, and your advance healthcare directive.
Find Out Where You Stand
You’ve been meaning to do this for a while now. That’s normal. Most families wait until something happens, then wish they hadn’t.
A 15-minute call tells you exactly what you have, what’s missing, and what your family needs next. No paperwork, no obligation, just a straight answer.
- No sales pitch. Just a straight answer about where you stand.
- No confusing terms. We explain everything in plain English.
- A real next step. You’ll know exactly what to do when we hang up.
Where We Serve
Georgia Counties We Serve
We help families across Georgia protect their assets and avoid probate. Select your county to learn more about estate planning where you live.
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