Estate Planning – Estate Administration & Probate

In this modern day and age there are so many resources readily available to us online, it can be overwhelming. Sure, you can “Google” anything and get so much information that your head will spin, but in the end, you don’t know what you don’t know. How do you...

In case you missed it because of all the other changes we had to deal with during the pandemic, there was a significant change to Maryland’s elective share law that went into effect as of October 1, 2020. What exactly is the elective share and why should you care?...

In Maryland, any individual over the age of 18 who is legally competent can make a Last Will and Testament (“Will”). In order for a Will to be considered valid under Maryland law, it must be (i) in writing, (ii) signed by the person making the Will (the “testator”),...

Most people understand the importance of having a Will to handle the distribution of their assets upon death.  As described in our prior post ("Trust Basics"), when you use a Will as your primary estate planning tool, some of your assets have to pass through the...

Trusts can be an extremely useful and important part of your estate plan depending on your circumstances and needs. There are three parties to any trust.  First, the Grantor is the person who creates the trust and transfers property to the trust (also commonly...

Last week we introduced the Will, identified what it is and why every adult should have one.  This week we will discuss what assets are controlled by a Will and the importance of asset titling. A common misconception about Wills is that your Will controls the...

A Will, formally called a “Last Will and Testament”, is probably the most well-known estate planning document.  Most people know that a Will is the document where you designate in writing your wishes for how your assets should be distributed upon your death.  Your...

Most of us have heard the term “power of attorney” and understand generally what that means. Put simply, a power of attorney is a legal document where you can choose the people you want to have the authority to make financial related decisions for you when you no...

What exactly is an advance directive?  In the simplest of terms, an advance directive is your way of retaining some control over decisions about your health care even after you no longer have the mental or physical capacity to do so.  This is accomplished by...

 What exactly is an ABLE account?  An ABLE account is a relatively new special needs planning tool that is designed to give individuals with disabilities more independence and control over their lives.  ABLE stands for Achieving a Better Life Experience, which is the...