News and Press

Northeast Georgia residents receive education on estate planning, trusts, financial management

by Russell Boone Jr.

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Attorney Gracy Barksdale shares a presentation during the “Your Legacy, Your Plan” Wills and Estate Planning workshop in Washington, Georgia.

Wilkes County residents seeking information about wills and estate planning recently attended a workshop co-sponsored by Fort Valley State University (FVSU) and the University of Georgia’s (UGA) Cooperative Extension programs.

The “Your Legacy, Your Plan” workshop is part of the Georgia Farmer’s Initiative for Training and Sustainability (GA-FITS) program. The event took place at the Edward B. Pope Conference Center in Washington, Georgia.

The GA-FITS program is a collaboration between FVSU and UGA’s Cooperative Extension programs. It focuses on educational workshops pertaining to estate planning and helping farmers with sustainability and training initiatives.

More than 50 people listened to presentations from Gracy Barksdale, attorney at law, John Donsbach of Donsbach Lewis LLC., and Travis Mountain, PhD, assistant professor and Extension specialist, with a focus on financial planning at UGA. Topics of discussion included wills, power of attorney, health care directives and financial management.

“Developing a program on wills and estate planning directly supports the Extension mission of helping individuals, families and communities effectively manage resources and prepare for the future,” said Ida Jackson, facilitator for the workshop, who also serves as the UGA family and consumer sciences agent for Wilkes County.

In further discussing the need for a wills and estate program, Jackson said that many households, particularly in rural and underserved communities, lack a formal estate plan. This could lead to family disputes, financial strain and the loss of generational wealth involving land and property.

“A will and estate planning program is about more than preparing legal documents. It is about protecting families, preserving property, reducing financial burdens and strengthening communities for future generations,” Jackson said.

Gracy Barksdale, a 1983 criminal justice graduate of Fort Valley State College, (now FVSU) served as one of the presenters. The attorney stated her views on the importance of attending such workshops.

“By participating in an estate planning workshop, you empower yourself to make choices that will protect your legacy and provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones. Estate planning is accessible to everyone, regardless of economic status and it is crucial not to leave your future to chance. Take control of your estate planning and ensure that your wishes are respected and your loved ones are cared for through your legacy,” Barksdale said.

Furthermore, Barksdale said the workshops provide an avenue for people to gain knowledge about estate planning documents such as wills, trusts, power of attorney and advance directives for healthcare. She said these are all vital for protecting one’s estate.

Wilkes County residents and program speakers observe a PowerPoint presentation from attorney John Donsbach during the workshop.

Dorothy Howard, a native of Rayle, Georgia, decided to attend the workshop because she does not have many relatives. “I wanted to make sure that at the end of my life, my remaining relatives will have an easy process with everything I’m leaving behind,” Howard said.

Additionally, the Wilkes County native said she enjoyed the way Barksdale explained details such as what is needed inside of a will. “It was a good reminder that some things we think are taken care of are not necessarily included,” Howard said.

Furthermore, Howard said she would recommend others attend the next workshop.

“I already have a list of folks that I want to invite,” she said with a smile. “The first thing I would say is that always when planning end of life affairs, just because you don’t think you have anything, you’ll still need to come. You’ll figure out something that you will need direction on,” she said.

Jackson further elaborated on the successful partnership between FVSU and UGA in developing the GA-FITS program.

“The collaboration between FVSU and UGA Extension is successful because both institutions share a common mission of strengthening families, individuals and communities through researched based education. Each organization brings unique strengths that complement one another, creating a more comprehensive approach to addressing community needs,” Jackson said.

For more information about the GA-FITS program and future workshops, contact Ida Jackson at (706) 678-2332 (ida.jackson@uga.edu) or Marc Thomas, director of field operations for FVSU Extension at (478) 825-6112 (thomasm@fvsu.edu).

 

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• FVSU Agriculture College

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• Extension

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