Jake Slowik

At Slowik Estate Planning, my goal is to get to know you, your family, and your business, and build a life-long working relationship.

Estate planning often engenders stress, confusion, and apprehension. I have dedicated my practice to providing clients with peace of mind through trusted legal counsel. My personal background has instilled in me a deep commitment to offering this vital service to families in similar circumstances.

By developing custom legal solutions together, we will protect your loved ones' well-being and safeguard your assets.

Let's talk today about creating your legacy for tomorrow.

Harvard Law School

Cornell University

Associate

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP

2012 - 2014

Commercial Real Estate Attorney

Estate Planning in 2024: Why Your Will and Trust Need Urgent Attention

Slowik Estate Planning

September 17, 2024

3 Law Firm Business Tactics To Support A Niche Practice

Law360.com

May 29, 2019

Small Law; Big Success

Edward Elgar

December 28, 2018

Estate Planning and Fiduciary Section

Georgia Bar Association

State Bar of Georgia

Member

2015 - Current

Georgia

State Bar of Georgia

Since 2015

New York

New York State Office of Court Administration

ID Number: 5158670

Since 2013

• Free Consultation
  Free consultation
• Credit Cards Accepted
  Accept all major credit cards. Easy online payment.
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  Most matters are billed on a flat fee arrangement. More complex matters including probate and trust litigation are billed at an hourly rate.

Q. How to determine FMV of home for probate after parents' passings without right of survivorship?

June 12, 2025

A: A Georgia deed that is silent about survivorship creates a tenancy in common by default. Using your numbers, your father’s 50% interest would have been valued at $37,500 in his estate. However, part or all of that interest may have passed to your mother—either under his will, if he had one, or through Georgia’s intestacy laws and the year’s support statute if he died without a will ("intestate"). If your father’s estate was never probated, you will likely need to open two probate cases—one for each parent—which can often be handled together for efficiency if all five heirs are the same. In Dad’s probate, the court will appoint a guardian ad litem to represent your mother’s interest. That process will determine what share she inherited from him, if any, before it passes to the five heirs through her estate. If your mother’s and father’s heirs are the same, the process can be simpler, and handling both probates together should not be too burdensome. ... Read More

Q. How can I access estate sale and inheritance information in Georgia?

May 20, 2025

A: First, check with the Probate Court in the county where your father lived to confirm whether probate was opened. If so, request copies of all of the probate records, including the petition and accounting/reports to the court, if filed. If you are a beneficiary under the will or an intestate heir (if there was no will), you can formally request a full accounting from your sister. If she refuses, you may file a petition for accounting in the probate court. If you believe your sister is hiding information or mismanaging assets, hire a GEORGIA Probate Attorney, who can: demand an accounting, compel production of records, and/or petition to remove or surcharge the executor for breach of fiduciary duty. ... Read More

Q. Do successor trustees in Georgia have the same authority as the original trustee?

April 14, 2025

A: Under Georgia law, successor trustees possess the same authority as the original trustee. According to OCGA Section 53-12-201(g), “A trustee appointed as a successor trustee shall have all the authority of the original trustee." This is the default rule but the terms of the trust could mean that the successor trustees have different authority. The answer depends on the trust language, the nature of the powers granted, and how multiple trustees are intended to function.

While Georgia law creates a default rule, it is not absolute—and beneficiaries or courts could challenge successor actions if they’re inconsistent with the trust’s intent or fiduciary principles.

I recommend consulting with an estate planning attorney to review the trust and ensure trustees are operating within the scope granted by the trust and applicable state law. ... Read More