August/September 2026 | maconmagazine.com 79
The law treats minor children
differently from adults,
which creates additional
responsibilities, oversight,
and potential conflicts if their
parents don't have an estate
plan.
Attorney Haley Stafford warns
that "if there is no named legal
guardian for minor children,
the local probate judge will
choose who the guardian
will be." That may not be the
person you would want to raise
your kids.
She also notes that married
parents often assume that
their entire estate will go to
their spouse. In Georgia, that's
not true. "A portion of the
estate goes to the spouse, and
a portion goes to the minor
children," Stafford explains.
"The spouse is not allowed to
spend the children's portion
and must give all the assets to
the children once they reach
the age of majority."
For single parents, the
stakes are even higher. As
attorney Veronica McClendon
emphasizes, creating an estate
plan seems like paperwork,
but it's a critical way to protect
your children's future.
H o w m i n o r
c h i l d r e n
m a k e e s t a t e
p l a n n i n g m o r e
c o m p l e x
