A Kennesaw firm on Ridenour Boulevard serving Kennesaw, Marietta, and Acworth. Attorneys Shelley Elder and Stephen Crane handle probate alongside wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and special needs trusts, and Stephen Crane also handles real estate closings.
Probate in Paulding County
Probate Court Record
Paulding County Probate Court
Paulding County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
280 Constitution Boulevard, Room 2009, Dallas, GA 30132
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Paulding County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Paulding County? →Settling an estate in Paulding County →
Probate Firms Serving Paulding County
Serves as west Georgia and Douglas County's estate planning attorneys, handling estate planning, probate, elder law, wills, and civil litigation across the Atlanta metro area.
A Cartersville firm serving Bartow, Cobb, Cherokee, Gordon, Floyd, and Paulding counties northwest of Atlanta. Handles probate administration and estate settlement, guides executors and administrators through the process, and structures Medicaid, long-term care, and asset-protection plans for seniors. Founding attorneys Lance and Sharon McCoy each have over 25 years in practice.
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Georgia
Free Georgia forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for Georgia.
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Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
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Last Will and Testament
In Georgia, a will is signed before 2O.C.G.A. § 53-4-20Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyO.C.G.A. § 53-4-20Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Georgia
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Georgia: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Georgia.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Georgia costs an estimated $38,748O.C.G.A. § 53-7-6(4) (petition to the probate court for a judgment fixing the attorney's fees and expenses; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 2.1%Modeled estimate under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-6(4) (petition to the probate court for a judgment fixing the attorney's fees and expenses; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.4%Modeled estimate under O.C.G.A. § 53-7-6(4) (petition to the probate court for a judgment fixing the attorney's fees and expenses; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate under a reasonable-compensation standard.
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How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Georgia: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 180 daysO.C.G.A. §§ 53-7-30, 53-7-31, 53-7-32, 53-7-33Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 3 monthsO.C.G.A. §§ 53-7-40, 53-7-41, 53-7-42, 53-7-43, 9-3-36Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
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How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Georgia sets executor compensation by statute — about $25,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 5.0%O.C.G.A. § 53-6-60(b)(1)-(4) (2 1/2 percent on sums received and on sums paid out; 10 percent on interest; up to 3% on property delivered in kind; up to 10% of annual income for working land)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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Do I Need Probate?
In Georgia, estates with personal property of $15,000O.C.G.A. § 7-1-239Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less skip probate with the Bank Deposit AffidavitO.C.G.A. § 7-1-239Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
In Georgia, the 3 monthsO.C.G.A. § 53-7-41(d) ("within three months from the date of publication of the personal representative's last notice")Verified Sep 8, 2026View source period after the last publication of the creditor notice protects a representative who distributes after it; late claims can still reach undistributed assets.
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Can I Self-File Probate?
In Georgia, informal probate is not availableO.C.G.A. § 53-5-15 ("Probate of a will may be in common form or in solemn form or both") — both are proceedings in the probate court; no registrar/clerk appointment trackVerified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
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