Written by: Bradley R. Coppedge, Esq. Under the National Firearms Act (“NFA”), there are 6 classes of weapons that are much more heavily regulated than traditional firearms (‘traditional’ firearms being:  revolvers, semi-automatic pistols, shotguns and rifles).  These six highly regulated classes are: (i) short barrel/sawed off rifles ['SBRs'], (ii) short barrel/sawed off shotguns, (iii) fully automatic/select fire rifles [machine guns], (iv) suppressors ['silencers'], (v) destructive devices and (vi) those

Written by: Bradley Coppedge, Esq. You wonder if you read that correctly, don't you?  It probably seems like a no-brainer, naming your spouse as primary beneficiary and your children as secondary or contingent beneficiary on life insurance policies, IRAs, annuities and similar items.  After all, in doing so, the assets (eg, life insurance proceeds) will pass outside of probate. That's a good thing, right? Actually, this is most often not

Written by: Bradley R. Coppedge, Esq. Politics aside, we all knew we would see legislation proposed to increase the estate tax and block certain planning strategies, both because Democrats control the Presidency along with the House and Senate, and to cover the spending and stimulus packages. The legislation that has been introduced is, frankly, as bad if not worse than most expected, at least from the standpoint of transfer tax

Written by: Bradley R. Coppedge, Esq. Apologies for the longer than usual article

Written by: Brad R. Coppedge, Esq.  Everyone needs a Will.  This is really not an overstatement, whether you own very few assets or have assets worth tens of millions of dollars.  A Will makes things easier upon your loved ones after your death and makes the process of administering or probating your estate much easier.  Additionally, NO Will means NO control over the disposition of your own assets at

COLUMBUS, GA – September 2, 2020 – Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) has added Attorney Amber N. Crawford to its Columbus office. Amber focuses her practice on estate planning, probate, guardianships and conservatorships, business transactions, commercial real estate and fiduciary matters. Prior to joining HBS, Amber spent several years at a firm in Newnan, Georgia, where she specialized in probate and estate planning, represented creditors in Chapter 13 bankruptcy

Written by Bradley R. Coppedge, Esq. I. In General. Probate is generally a relatively simple process in Georgia and Alabama, if you have a valid Will.  It is much less of a hassle to administer an estate under a Will, and your fiduciary (termed an “Executor” under a Will) has broad powers.  Without a Will, the person who petitions the court to administer your estate (the “Administrator”) will often have

Written by: Bradley R. Coppedge, Esq. With the current coronavirus pandemic, what planning steps should you be taking? From an estate planning attorney’s perspective, it is actually business as usual, but perhaps with an added element of priority. Everyone’s goal right now should be first and foremost the health and safety of ourselves, our family and others, but this pandemic also reminds us of the importance, and in some

Written by: Bradley R. Coppedge, Esq. As parents, we always have our children’s best interests at the forefront of our minds.  And we usually try to do anything we can for our children.  However, many might take for granted the authority we have had as a parent for the last 18 years. How often have you called the bank on the student account or credit card they have that

Written by: Bradley R. Coppedge,Esq. In the stress and aftermath of a divorce, whether amicable or contested, an often overlooked topic is the importance of promptly updating one’s estate plan.  Failure to do so can lead to some unintended or even unbearable consequences. Let’s take a look at some of the key issues… 1) Last Will and Testament.  As I’ve said many other times, everyone needs a Will. (See my January