Consumer Bill of Rights for Funeral Goods and Services
Before purchasing any funeral goods or services or signing a "preneed" funeral contract, consumers should ask any and all questions regarding plans and proposed purchases. There are certain things that you should expect the funeral home to provide to you and/or put in the contract. This document describes the kinds of things you should ask for.
By: Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services
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Tips for Dealing with Funeral Homes
In general, family members choose a casket shortly after the death of their loved one. During this emotional time people can make decisions that they later regret. This document contains a list of consumer tips when dealing with funeral homes to help you make the right decisions for your loved ones and to protect yourself against consumer fraud or pressure.
By: Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services
What You Need to Know About Funeral Homes, Crematories and Cemeteries This document answers common questions about funerals, funeral homes, crematories and laws regulating the funeral process in Georgia.
By: Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services
End of Life Planning
End of Life Planning: DO NOT RESUSCITATE ORDER
There are often many questions about who has the authority to approve orders not to resuscitate a person or to approve a ?No Code.? The law in Georgia is very specific and there are circumstances when regardless of a person?s wishes, that order cannot be carried out in the person?s current location.
By: Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services
The Facts About Financial Powers of Attorney Learn what you need to know about advance directives.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
Details of My Final Arrangements This document helps you sort out your thoughts (and write them out) about how you want things to be managed upon your death, including information about your will, your advance directives (living will and durable power of attorney), your insurance policies, bank accounts, your desires for funeral services, burial arrangements and any additional requests that are not contained in your will.
By: Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services
Veterans
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation for Veterans
(Separate Website)
The website has information on dependency and indemnity compensation ? a financial benefit for eligible survivors of certain deceased veterans
By: Department of Veteran?s Affairs
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Veterans' Burial and Memorial Benefits
(Separate Website)
The Department of Veterans' Affairs National Cemetery Administration's web site is designed to assist you with information on the VA's national cemeteries and other memorial benefits. The National Cemetery Association honors veterans with a final resting place and lasting memorials that commemorate their service to our country.
By: Department of Veterans' Affairs
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Spanish / Espaņol
Veterans' Survivors' Benefits
The death of a family member can raise many legal issues, particularly if your loved one served in the military. If your spouse, parent, or child was a veteran, you might be eligible for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
There are three main types of benefits that may be available to survivors of veterans. Survivors may be able to get dependency and indemnity compensation, death pension benefits, and burial benefits.
By: Atlanta Legal Aid Society
Burial and Plot-Interment Allowances
(Separate Website)
The website has information on partial financial reimbursement for an eligible veteran's burial and funeral costs.
By: Department of Veteran's Affairs
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Spanish / Espaņol
When a Loved One Dies
A Checklist of What To Do When A Loved One Dies
When a loved one passes away, it is an understandably stressful time. It can be even more stressful and/or traumatic trying to remember all of the details that must be taken care of related to a person's death. If you are in charge of handling the affairs of the decedent (the person who has died), this is a checklist of some of the more important considerations.
By: Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services
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A Consumer's Guide to Cemeteries and Funeral Services
(Separate Website)
In times of loss, we are faced with many difficult decisions involving our loved one's funeral service and burial arrangements. Unfortunately, it is during this time that consumers are most vulnerable to becoming victims of fraud. The Securities and Business Regulation Division of the Office of Secretary of State oversees the business practices of preneed dealers, merchandise dealers and perpetual care cemeteries throughout Georgia, excluding those cemeteries that are family and church-owned. To help sort the good from the bad, this brochure is designed to better acquaint you with the laws and rules regulating perpetual care cemeteries, preneed dealers, and merchandise dealers in our state. With this information, you will be better prepared and better informed when the time comes for the difficult decisions of loss to be made.
By: Georgia Secretary of State
Access to Vital Records (Birth Certificates, Marriage and Divorce Records, etc.)
(Separate Website)
This web site contains information about vital records kept by the State of Georgia, including birth certificates, death certificates, marriage and divorce records, and the putative father registry. The web site also contains answers to common questions about vital records (where to find them, fees for certified copies of the records, etc.).
By: Georgia Division of Public Health
Frequently Asked Questions About What to Do When Someone Dies
(Separate Website)
This document answers common questions about what to do when someone dies, including (1) What are the first legal steps I should take after someone dies? (2) Do I need to have a lawyer? (3) Which Probate Court should I go to? (4) What is the procedure in the Probate Court?
By: Athens-Clarke County Probate Court
Medicaid Information and Long-term Care: Burial Exclusions The State of Georgia has made changes to the burial exclusions affecting specific classes of Medicaid that typically fund long-term care services. Affected by those changes include the Adult, Blind and Disabled class of Medicaid, which covers Medicaid for Long-term Care: Nursing Home Medicaid and Medicaid Waiver Programs like the CCSP (Community Care Services Program).
By: Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services
What Arrangements Need To Be Taken Care Of After the Funeral Service is Over?
When a loved one dies, it is an understandably stressful time. It can be even more stressful and/or traumatic trying to remember all of the details that must be taken care of related to a person's death. In case you are in charge of handling the affairs of the decedent (the person who has died), there are some items that deserve some important consideration. This document lists the items you should consider taking care of and explains the process for dealing with things like (1) obtaining a Death Certificate, (2) notifying the employer and the Social Security Administration, (3) managing the bank accounts, (4) probating the will.
By: Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Aging Services
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What to Do When a Loved One Dies
(Separate Website)
There are a number of different proceedings which may be filed in the Probate Court following the death of a Georgia resident or a non-resident owning property in the State of Georgia. Proceedings are filed in the Probate Court of the county of the deceased person's residence in Georgia or in the county where property of a non-resident is located.
This page briefly describes the usual, initial proceedings. For each proceeding described, there is a standard form, which the Court will provide to any petitioner.
This information was originally prepared as the public serve by the Hon. William J. Self, II, Judge of the Probate Court of Bibb County, Georgia, and Ms. Dianne Brannen, Ombudsman for the Probate Court of Bibb County, Georgia.
By: Probate Courts of Bibb and Clark Counties
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LegalAid-GA is a project of Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Georgia Legal Services Program and the Pro Bono Project of the State Bar of Georgia. The project is funded by the Legal Services Corporation and the Georgia Access to Justice Project and produced in cooperation with Pro Bono Net, the Carl Vinson Institute of Government and legal service organizations and government agencies throughout Georgia and the United States.
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