When a loved one passes, families not only enter a period of loss and grieving, but they also often must deal with changes in income. Especially when the main financial provider of the family passes, there can be a significant financial burden placed on their loved ones.
How Georgia helps grieving families
Georgia’s Year’s Support program was created to help those dealing with the loss of a loved one. It is essentially a program that allows spouses or dependents of the deceased ask to be given ownership over assets in the estate to give them financial support for coming years.
The Year’s Support program can grant you as a spouse or dependent ownership of things like real estate, cars, furniture or stocks. It is available for surviving spouses who are not remarried and unmarried children under the age of eighteen.
How to use Year’s Support
To take advantage of the Year’s Support program, you must submit a petition to the court along with the filing fees. The petition can be submitted within 2 years of the death by or on behalf of the spouse of dependent.
When you file, you will need a list of the assets, beneficiaries, creditors, heirs, their ages, addresses and relationships to the person who passed. If they had a will, you must file it as well.
Next, there will be a court process for the petition to go through. The court will prepare any citations and notices needed and there will be time for any objections to be filed. Finally, there will be a hearing and the court will determine what part of the estate you will get.
When looking for ways to support your family after the death of a loved one, consider how the Year’s Support program may be beneficial to you. Talk to a lawyer about how much support you may be able to request and how to go through the petition process.
