About Our Team
Atlanta Wills + Trusts is a different kind of estate planning law firm – this was intentional. While we have the knowledge, experience, and team to help our clients prepare a will, a trust, powers of attorney and other important documents to protect their family, our goal is not just to provide our client with a packet of documents and send them on their way.
Rather, our goal is for our clients to walk away with a plan. A plan that works for them, their family and their lives when they need it to work. A plan they know what to do with, who to tell about, and what next steps to take to ensure they are protected and those they love the most are protected. A plan that isn’t just a transaction, but the beginning of a relationship.
That type of plan requires a law firm, like ours, dedicated to being different, intentional and thoughtful about working with clients to make sure time is taken to answer the important questions and educate our clients.
Each member of our team is dedicated to our clients receiving a plan that works. Meet our team.
Amy Refeca
Owner, Founder And Attorney
Amy grew up in Missouri and eventually graduated from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. She was the first member of her immediate family to get a degree. Upon deciding what she wanted to do with her life after college, she made a fateful decision to attend law school at Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama from which she graduated in 2001.
Amy is admitted to practice law in Georgia and Florida. She is also accredited by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs to assist veterans in obtaining entitled benefits. She has presented at continuing legal education events, volunteered with local bar associations to mentor high school students in both Miami, Florida and in Roswell, Georgia, been and is a member of several organizations encouraging and empowering women such as Georgia Association of Women Lawyers.
Amy is passionate about education and speaks regularly for women’s organizations in and around the Metropolitan Atlanta Area and also shares important education on several social media outlets to assist everyone is demystifying the planning process.
Atlanta Wills + Trusts Law Group by Refeca Law, LLC
We Help Women Protect Who They Love The Most
Nothing on this page, or in links provided on this page, constitutes legal advice or the practice of law. Nor does viewing this page form an attorney/client relationship between you and the firm.
One of the first questions we hear is, “How long will this take?” Georgia probate timelines depend on several factors, but understanding the process helps set expectations.
Some factors that impact how long probate takes from start to finish is what county you file probate in, whether there are children who inherit, is there a Will, is anyone disrupting the process, and, frankly, how well the information is presented to the Court. At a minimum, in any county, it is likely to take six months or more.
#trusts #wills #powersofattorney #estateplanning #specialneeds #alpharetta #lawfirm #probate #attorney #womenneedwills #protectyourfamily #protectyourself #advancedirective #healthcare #endoflife #planaroundtheplan #safekeepingplan #alpharetta #johnscreek #atlanta #roswell #suwanee #woodstock #marietta #duluth #milton #cumming
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Georgia probate has specific procedures and timelines. Knowing the general process can make a difficult season feel more manageable. Check out one of our articles on the Georgia Probate Process:
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#Trusts #wills #powersofattorney #estateplanning #specialneeds #alpharetta #lawfirm #probate #attorney #womenneedwills #protectyourfamily #protectyourself #advancedirective #healthcare #endoflife #planaroundtheplan #safekeepingplan #alpharetta #johnscreek #atlanta #roswell #suwanee #woodstock #marietta #duluth #milton #cumming
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What Assets Go Through Probate in Georgia—And What Assets Do Not?
One of the biggest surprises families have after someone passes away is learning that not everything goes through probate.
Many people assume probate means “the court handles everything.” In reality, probate only applies to certain assets—and understanding the difference can make the process feel much less overwhelming.
In Georgia, probate generally applies to assets that were owned solely in the deceased person’s individual name and did not have a built-in transfer method at death.
Examples of assets that commonly go through probate include a house titled only in the deceased person’s name, a bank account with no beneficiary designation, a vehicle owned individually, personal belongings, and investment accounts without transfer instructions. If there is a Last Will and Testament, probate is often still required—the Will provides instructions, but probate is usually the process that gives authority to carry those instructions out.
On the other hand, some assets transfer automatically and may avoid probate entirely.
Assets that often do not go through probate include jointly owned property with survivorship rights, accounts with payable-on-death (POD) or transfer-on-death (TOD) designations, retirement accounts with named beneficiaries, life insurance with living beneficiaries, and assets owned by a properly funded trust.
This is where many families get confused: having a Will does not automatically avoid probate. A Will and probate often work together.
Every estate is different, and sometimes families have a combination of probate and non-probate assets at the same time.
If you are trying to determine whether probate is necessary in Georgia, start by making a list of every asset and looking at how each one is titled and whether a beneficiary is named. That one exercise often provides more clarity than people expect.
#trusts #wills #powersofattorney #estateplanning #specialneeds #alpharetta #lawfirm #probate #attorney #womenneedwills #protectyourfamily #protectyourself #advancedirective #healthcare #endoflife #planaroundtheplan #safekeepingplan #alpharetta #johnscreek #atlanta #roswell #suwanee #woodstock #marietta #duluth #milton #cumming
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The final step is making sure there is nothing left to do.
Depending on the circumstances in Georgia, this may include:
• Confirming estate assets have been transferred or distributed
• Making sure expenses and approved claims have been addressed
• Closing the estate bank account
• Collecting receipts or acknowledgments from beneficiaries when appropriate
• Confirming real estate transfers are complete
• Filing any final documents required by the Probate Court
• 𝗥𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲
For many executors, receiving a discharge is meaningful because it can formally end their responsibilities and release them from continued duties related to administration.
Families are often surprised that probate does not simply end automatically after distributions happen.
The final stage is less about paperwork and more about creating closure—financially, legally, and emotionally.
#Trusts #wills #powersofattorney #estateplanning #specialneeds #alpharetta #lawfirm #probate #attorney #womenneedwills #protectyourfamily #protectyourself #advancedirective #healthcare #endoflife #planaroundtheplan #safekeepingplan #alpharetta #johnscreek #atlanta #roswell #suwanee #woodstock #marietta #duluth #milton #cumming
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