Estate Planning

Many believe keeping their money and valuables in the home is a safe and convenient option. However, this practice can pose significant risks, especially from an estate planning perspective.  Understanding these risks and considering safer alternatives like a will or...

Increasingly, long-term, happily committed couples are choosing not to let the law define their relationship. What’s important to remember, however, is that if you aren’t married or registered as domestic partners (which is still an option here in Maryland), you don’t...

Creating a will is the first step to ensuring your assets are distributed to your loved ones according to your final wishes. And TV shows and movies would have us believe that your heirs receive their inheritance as soon as your will is read. However, it could take...

A lot of couples see no reason to get a marriage certificate or even register as domestic partners to codify their relationship for the state. For any number of reasons, they prefer to keep their commitment solely to each other.  Nonetheless, if you’re in a committed,...

If divorce is on the horizon for you, it’s important to understand how the divorce will affect your estate plan, what changes you’ll likely need to make and how to schedule those changes. One of the first things many people ask is whether they can disinherit their...

You have drafted your will, which allows you to instruct how your estate is managed after you pass away. You have likely named several beneficiaries and a trusted executor to administer your estate during the probate process. While you are no longer part of the...

Many people draft a will where they leave equal distributions to all of their beneficiaries. Someone with $100,000 and four children may leave them all $25,000, for example. This often helps to reduce the odds of an estate dispute.  But equal distributions are not...

A trust is a financial account that can hold money on someone else’s behalf. The trust will have at least one beneficiary, who receives payouts. It will also have a trustee, who is in charge of determining when those payouts should be made. When making a trust, then,...

People engaged in estate planning tend to prioritize leaving resources for spouses, children and grandchildren. However, families go through many different types of changes and hardships that can put strain on previously close relationships. A divorce, a struggle with...

As you approach the golden years of retirement, thoughts naturally turn to relaxation, travel and quality time with loved ones. But amidst the excitement, it’s crucial to address a less glamorous yet equally important element of planning – your estate. A...