If I have homes in tw0 states-NC/GA, stocks aquired before second marriage and money in accounts with survivors benefits do I need a will

Forgive me for being direct, but you should make the time to clean up this mess, and you will need the help of a good, experienced attorney to do it. Here are your priorities: First, you must get your ex-wife's name off the title to the house in Georgia. Find the time and take care of that important piece of business. Second, a notarized letter is a meaningless exercise and can never do in place of a Will. If you die intestate (without a Will) you are saddling your heirs with an expensive, messy situation that undoubtedly must be resolved in Court. Because you own property in two states, whether you have a Will or not, your estate must be probated in both states unless you make sure that you retitle your property so it is not subject to probate. This is best accomplished with a Living (Revocable) Trust which, when you die, is simply a Will substitute. At death, the main difference between a properly funded Living Trust and a Will is that no probate at all is required (in either state) and the estate can be settled rather quickly with a minimum of legal fees. Get a North Carolina estate planning lawyer and start today! To your success, Gale Allison, Principal AttorneyThe Allison Firm, PLLChttp://www.theallisonfirm.comhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/GaleAllison