The Biggest Probate Cost People Never Consider: Your Executor’s Time (Georgia Edition)

When most people think about probate costs in Georgia, they usually think about attorney fees, court filing fees, appraisal fees, and other financial expenses. But there is one probate cost almost no one ever considers — and it’s often the most damaging:

Your executor’s time.

In Georgia, the person you choose to manage your estate after you pass away doesn’t just sign a few papers and hand out property. They take on a tremendous amount of responsibility at one of the most emotionally difficult moments of their life. For many families, probate becomes a months-long or even years-long burden that your executor never expected.

As an estate planning attorney in Georgia, I see this cost far too often — and it’s completely avoidable.

What Your Executor Is Actually Required to Do in Georgia

When someone passes away, the executor (also called the “personal representative”) becomes responsible for managing and settling the estate under the supervision of the probate court. Most people underestimate how complex this process is.

Here are just a few tasks your executor must handle under Georgia law:

• Filing the petition to open probate

• Waiting on court approval before taking action

• Locating and inventorying all assets

• Gathering bank statements, titles, and financial records

• Notifying heirs and beneficiaries

• Handling creditor claims

• Filing tax returns

• Managing or selling property

• Keeping a court-approved accounting

• Distributing assets only when the court allows

This isn’t a one-day project — it is a long, often stressful job that requires organization, time, and constant communication with financial institutions, family members, and the probate court.

The Hidden Time Burden Most Families Don’t See

Probate doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Your executor still has:

• A full-time job

• A family

• Children

• A business

• Their own responsibilities and stress

Yet probate adds dozens of hours of additional work.

In Georgia, it is common for executors to spend 50 to 100+ hours on paperwork, phone calls, financial tasks, and court requirements. This does not include cleaning out property, dealing with disputes, or managing real estate.

It becomes a second job — one they cannot quit.

Probate Often Damages Family Relationships

Even when families start the process with unity and good intentions, probate can change everything.

Delays caused by the court can create frustration.Misunderstandings lead to conflict.The executor — who is simply following legal requirements — can become the person other family members blame.

Probate is emotionally heavy, and it often strains relationships that were once strong.

The Solution: Avoid Probate Entirely With a Revocable Living Trust

The best way to protect your executor — and your family — is to eliminate the need for an executor altogether.

A revocable living trust allows your estate to bypass the Georgia probate system completely. Your successor trustee can step in immediately to manage your assets privately and efficiently, without court supervision.

With a properly created and funded trust:

• Your family avoids long delays

• Your assets stay private

• Your loved ones avoid court oversight

• Your instructions are followed immediately

• Your successor trustee has a simplified, manageable job

A trust removes the burden that probate would have placed on your family and protects the relationships that matter most.

Final Thoughts

The biggest probate cost isn’t money — it’s time, stress, and emotional strain on the people you care about most.

If you’re a Georgia resident and you want to make sure your loved ones avoid probate entirely, a revocable living trust is the most effective and compassionate solution.

Ready to Protect Your Family?

I help Georgia families create trust-based estate plans that keep them out of probate court and ensure their loved ones are protected.

👉 Schedule your estate planning or trust strategy session today.Your family deserves peace, privacy, and protection — not probate.