Fort Valley State offers free estate planning workshop in Dublin

Death can be devastating, and without proper planning dealing with the loss of a loved one can get complicated.

“I don’t care how young you are, the day you become a property owner you need a will,” said Titus Andrews Sr., the Fort Valley State University county extension agent in Laurens County who is coordinating an estate planning event.

FVSU’s Cooperative Extension Program is hosting a free workshop March 13 about estate planning and property tax incentives for Georgia land and property owners. The workshop is from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Travel Lodge Inn and Suites, 2121 Hwy.441 in Dublin. Participants can expect to learn about the process of creating a will and how to reduce property taxes.

Estate planning includes elderly citizens designating his or her rights to their children in case they become senile, and creating a living will that can be used if someone slips into a vegetative state.

“If you don’t do the estate planning, it can cost you a lot of money,” Andrews said. If someone dies without a will, it is possible for the deceased person’s property to go to the state, according to Andrews.

Speakers for the workshop include Dublin’s chief appraiser, Atlanta lawyers and a Georgia Forestry Commission representative.

The mission of FVSU’s Cooperative Extension Program is to provide useful and educational opportunities for Georgians. County extension agents, such as Andrews, offer various types of free assistance to clients who include farmers, animal producers and landowners.

To register for the workshop, which includes a free lunch, contact Jean Willis at Fort Valley State, (478) 825-6268 or willise@fvsu.edu.