Georgia guide

What to do when someone dies in Georgia

Georgia has a rule called 'year's support' that gives the family the right to receive support from the estate for 12 months after death. This affects how quickly assets can be distributed and what family members can claim. Probate runs through the county Probate Court.

Content updated: July 2026

What's unique in Georgia

State-specific rules that affect how an estate is handled here.

Year's support

Georgia law allows the surviving spouse and minor children to petition for 'year's support' — a set amount from the estate to cover living expenses for 12 months after death. This takes priority over most other estate claims.

Probate Court process

Georgia probate is handled by the Probate Court in each county. Simplified procedures are available for smaller estates, and the court also handles guardianship matters.

Spousal rights beyond year's support

In addition to year's support, the surviving spouse may have elective share rights and other statutory protections depending on how the estate is structured.

State income tax and ERS/TRS

Georgia has its own income tax. A final state return must be filed. If the deceased was a state employee or teacher, ERS or TRS survivor benefits may be available.

A glimpse at what Order covers in Georgia

These are just a few of the Georgia-specific tasks Order surfaces automatically when you select your state.

File for Georgia probate in Probate CourtLegal & Estate

File in the county where the deceased lived. Georgia's uncontested will track moves faster than most states — but real property requires formal probate regardless of value.

Petition for year's supportLegal & Estate

Surviving spouse and minor children may petition for 12 months of support from the estate — this supersedes most creditors and even the will, but must be filed within 24 months of death to be considered.

Review Georgia spousal rights to estateLegal & Estate

Beyond year's support, surviving spouses have additional exemptions protecting personal property and the family home from creditors during estate administration.

Plus dozens more tasks across all 8 categories: funeral arrangements, digital accounts, dependents, and more.

Official resources for Georgia

Georgia Probate CourtsFile probate in the county Probate Court and obtain letters testamentary Georgia Department of RevenueFile the final state income tax return for the year of death Georgia DDS (vehicle titles)Transfer vehicle titles to heirs at the county tag office Georgia Employees Retirement System (ERS)Notify the pension and apply for any survivor benefit for state employees Georgia Dept. of Veterans ServiceApply for the L43 homestead exemption for surviving spouses of disabled veterans and burial eligibility at Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Milledgeville

What families commonly miss in Georgia

Georgia's 'year's support' is one of the state's most powerful protections — it gives the surviving spouse and minor children a priority award that supersedes most creditors and even the will. Families who don't apply within the required window miss it entirely.
Many Georgia families don't realize that a contested will or heir dispute automatically escalates the estate beyond the administrative track — what seemed like a routine Probate Court filing can shift into formal adversarial proceedings that take significantly longer.
Georgia families who go looking for a central DMV to handle vehicle title transfers are often surprised to find there isn't one — transfers happen at the county tag office where the vehicle is registered, with documents and requirements that vary by county.

Deeper reading

Probate: what families need to know

Probate rules vary significantly by state. Our full guide explains the process, timelines, and how to avoid common delays in Georgia.

Military families in Georgia

Georgia has additional veteran & survivor benefits

Contact the county tax commissioner for veteran property tax exemptions (Georgia)
Contact Georgia Veterans Memorial Cemetery

Georgia-specific

Apply for Georgia homestead exemption (surviving spouse of disabled veteran)Georgia offers a homestead exemption (L43) that exempts qualifying surviving spouses of 100% disabled veterans from all state and county ad valorem taxes on their home. Contact your county tax commissioner with the veteran's disability rating documentation.
Contact Georgia Veterans Memorial CemeteryLocated in Milledgeville. Veterans and eligible dependents may qualify for burial. Contact the Georgia Department of Veterans Service.

Start these Georgia-specific tasks in Order

These tasks appear automatically in your checklist when you select Georgia as your state.

File for Georgia probate in Probate CourtLegal & Estate

Petition to probate the will in solemn form in Probate Court.

Review Georgia year's supportLegal & Estate

Family entitled to support from estate for 12 months

Transfer vehicle at Georgia DDSLegal & Estate

Use MV-1 form for title transfer

Plus dozens more tasks added automatically for Georgia families.

Order walks your family through every step, for Georgia and beyond.

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Covers all 50 states + DC · Jurisdiction-specific tasks added automatically

See guides for other states

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