General Instructions

There are all sorts of forms executors, beneficiaries, and probate court clerks have to fill out and correspond with during probate and estate settlement, including affidavits, letters, petitions, summons, orders, and notices.

General Instructions is a commonly used form within Georgia. Here’s an overview of what the form is and means, including a breakdown of the situations when (or why) you may need to use it:

Atticus Fast Facts About General Instructions

Sometimes it’s tough to find a quick summary— here’s the important details you should know about General Instructions:

• This form pertains to the State of Georgia

Government forms are not typically updated often, though when they are, it often happens rather quietly. While Atticus works hard to keep this information about Georgia’s Form GPCSF 1 - General Instructions up to date, certain details can change from time-to-time with little or no communication.

Step 1 - Download the correct Georgia form based on the name and ID if applicable

Double check that you have both the correct form name and the correct form ID. Some Georgia probate forms can look remarkably similar, so it’s best to double, even triple-check that you’re using the right one! Keep in mind that not all States have a standardized Form ID system for their probate forms.

Step 2 - Complete the Document

Fill out all relevant fields in Form GPCSF 1, take a break, and then review. Probate and estate settlement processes in GA are long enough to begin with, and making a silly error can push your timeline even farther back. No thank you!

Note: If you don’t currently know all of the answers and are accessing Form GPCSF 1 online, be sure to avoid closing the browser tab and potentially losing all your progress (or use a platform like Atticus to help avoid making mistakes).

Step 3 - Have Form GPCSF 1 witnessed or notarized (if required)

Some States and situations require particular forms to be notarized. If you have been instructed to get the document notarized or see it in writing on the document, then make sure to hire a local notary. There are max notary fees in the United States that are defined and set by local law. Take a look at our full guide to notary fees to make sure you aren’t overpaying or getting ripped off.

Step 4 - Submit General Instructions to the relevant office

This is most often the local probate court where the decedent (person who passed away) is domiciled (permanently resides) or the institution involved with this particular form (e.g. a bank). Some offices allow you to submit forms online, other’s don’t, and we while we generally recommend going in-person to expedite the process, sometimes that simply isn’t an option.

It’s also a generally good idea to establish a positive working relationship with any probate clerk (unfortunately there’s enough people & process out there making things more difficult and unnecessarily confusing for them), so a best practice is to simply ask the probate clerk proactively exactly how and where they’d prefer you to submit all forms.

Need help getting in touch with a local probate court or identifying a domicile probate jurisdiction?

👉 Find and Contact your Local Probate Court

👉 What is a Domicile Jurisdiction?

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Different probate forms or processes can require different deadlines or response times for completing the appropriate form.

While some steps in the process are bound to specific deadlines (like petitioning for probate, having to submit an inventory of assets, or filing applicable notices to creditors and beneficiaries), many probate forms or processes are not tied to a specific deadline since the scope of work can vary based on situational factors or requirements involved.

Either way, there are a bunch of practical reasons why personal representatives should work to complete each step as thoroughly and quickly as possible when completing probate in Georgia.

5 reasons you should submit GPCSF 1 as quickly as possible:

1. The sooner you begin, the faster Georgia can allow heirs and beneficiaries to get their share of assets subject to probate. Acting promptly can also decrease the costs & overall mental fatigue through an otherwise burdensome process.
   
   Helpful Context: What’s the Difference Between Probate and Non-Probate Assets?

2. In general, creditors of an estate usually have around 3-6 months from the time you file notice to creditors to file any claims for debt against the deceased’s assets. If they don’t, then that debt is forfeited (and more importantly, the executor won’t be held personally responsible). So doing this sooner means you have a better idea of who is owed what and ensures you won’t get a surprise collector months later.

3. Not filing a will within 30 days (on average) could mean that the probate process proceeds according to intestate laws (laws that govern what happens to someone's stuff without a will) or is subject to unnecessary supervision by the probate court. And if you aren't directly related to the deceased (a.k.a. next of kin), this could also mean you lose your inheritance.

4. It’s important to file any necessary state tax returns on behalf of the deceased or estate by the following tax season in Georgia. If you don’t, you could owe penalties and interest. This also includes any necessary federal tax returns such as Forms 1040, 1041, or even a Form 706 estate tax return.

5. If a house in the State of Georgia is left empty (or abandoned) for a while, insurance can get dicey. For example, if the house burns down and no one has been there for a year, an insurance company may get out of paying your claim.

If you’re not using Atticus to get specific forms, deadlines, and timelines for Georgia probate, then try and stay as organized as possible, pay close attention to the dates mentioned in any correspondence you have with the State’s government officials, call the local Georgia probate clerk or court for exact answers regarding Form GPCSF 1, and when in doubt— consult a qualified trust & estates lawyer for that area.

General Instructions is one of the many probate court forms available for download through Atticus.

It may also be available through some Georgia probate court sites, such as . In order to access the latest version, be updated with any revisions, and get full instructions on how to complete each form, check out the Atticus Probate & Estate Settlement software or consider hiring a qualified legal expert locally within Georgia.

While Atticus automatically provides the latest forms, be sure to choose the correct version of Form GPCSF 1 - General Instructions f using any other site or resource in order to avoid having to re-complete the form process and/or make another trip to the Georgia probate court office.

General Instructions is a .pdf, so opening it should be as simple as clicking “View Form” from within the Atticus app or by clicking the appropriate link found on any Georgia-provided government platform. Once you’ve opened the form, you should be able to directly edit the form before saving or printing.

Here’s the text, verbatim, that is found on Georgia Form GPCSF 1 - General Instructions. You can use this to get an idea of the context of the form and what type of information is needed.

GPCSF 1 [1] Eff. July 2021 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL GEORGIA PROBATE COURT STANDARD FORMS These instructions are designed to aid the word processing construction of pleadings filed in the probate court. They are also applicable, in part, to the manual preparation of pleadings. 1. To the extent practical, all material presented for filing in any probate court shall be typed, legibly written, or printed in black ink suitable for reproduction on opaque white paper. The paper shall measure 8½ inches x 11 inches, and be of a good quality, grade, and weight. Text shall be printed on only one side of the paper. The format and sequence of the forms shall be preserved to the extent practical. 2. Please complete all portions of the form. Check with your probate court to determine its policies in regard to the level of completion which is required of you with respect to the “Court’s portion” of the form. The Court’s portion includes the Court’s signatures and dates; the name and answer of any guardian ad litem, evaluator, or other person appointed by the Court; and other information that is not reasonably within the petitioner’s knowledge. 3. If an instruction within the form indicates that the petitioner should check a blank if applicable, any clear mark is acceptable. If the form indicates that initials are required, then only handwritten initials by the person will be accepted. Typed initials are not acceptable. 4. If the space provided in the form is not adequate to provide a full answer, then additional sheets may be attached so long as the name of the decedent, proposed ward, ward, or minor; caption of the case; and appropriate paragraph number(s) are shown on each additional sheet. 5. If you make material changes to the form, then you must identify those changes by formatting them in all capital letters, in bold, and underlined or by other clear indication. • As used in this paragraph, “material changes” do NOT include changes that are grammatical, changes in gender, changes from singular to plural, omission of optional or alternative language, or the inclusion of information such as names and addresses. • For words with Latin endings, such as “executor,” “administrator,” “testator,” and “caveator,” include the plural and/or feminine if the context so implies. 6. If there is language in the standard form that is considered inapplicable, then it should be stricken with a single strikethrough (e.g., strikethrough), or otherwise clearly indicated. • Words in parentheses should be left in the form, if applicable, or stricken through if not applicable. However, where the letter “s” appears in parentheses to denote the plural, it is not necessary to strike the “s” when the singular applies if otherwise clear from the context. • If a blank or paragraph is not applicable, then it should be marked “N/A.” • If an entire page is not applicable, the page may be omitted and beside the number of the next applicable page there should be placed a notation similar to the following: “Page(s) ______ not applicable.” GPCSF 1 [2] Eff. July 2021 7. Additional paragraphs or interlineations may be added if necessary, but they must be clearly identified. 8. Any change to a form that might be appropriate due to a change in law that occurred after the form was adopted by the Probate Court Judges Council of Georgia may be added but should be clearly identified. 9. If a standard form is available, but not used, then the content of the substituted pleading or document must conform to the standard form. Such pleading or document should indicate all changes from the standard form. Any material deletions must be shown with a single strikethrough, or otherwise clearly indicated. • At the end of any such substituted pleading or document, the attorney must sign the following statement: “I certify that the content of the foregoing is identical in all material respects with the Georgia Probate Court Standard Form entitled ___________________________________________ but for the additions and/or deletions indicated therein, as required by the Uniform Probate Court Rules.” • In any proceeding for which a standard form has been adopted but not used, the Court may, in its discretion, decline to process the pleading or document not on said standard form that does not possess the above statement and signature. 10. All pleadings and other documents shall be signed by the responsible attorney or person who prepared the documents with his or her name, proper address, and telephone number typed or printed beneath said signature. If a person is represented in the matter by an attorney of record, that attorney must sign the pleading or document for it to be eligible for filing. 11. Prior to letters issuing in any case appointing an administrator, executor, personal representative, conservator, or guardian, an oath of office must be administered. The oath must be administered to the petitioning person by a probate judge or clerk (the oath cannot be administered by a notary public). The oath of office may not be included as part of the form petition. GPCSF 53, Commission to Administer Oath, can be used if the oath is to be administered to a petitioning person by a court outside the State of Georgia. 12. Whenever any petition is filed in probate court, proper jurisdiction must be established. If that jurisdiction is through the ownership of property rather than the domicile of a particular individual, those facts should be set out in the paragraph for “Additional Data: Where full particulars are lacking,” which is usually the last paragraph of any Georgia Probate Court Standard Form. 13. If you need additional assistance preparing the pleading or document, it may be appropriate to consult the Civil Practice Act, the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the Georgia Uniform Probate Court Rules, or an attorney.