Wills - Estates - Probate
General Wills - Estates - Probate Articles
This page gives an overview of estate administration and links to a number of resources for people who need to open an estate.
A deed is a written and signed legal document that transfers property ownership. This article covers some frequently asked questions about deeds.
Unfortunately, some funeral homes try to take advantage of customers. Planning a funeral may be a very emotional time for you. It’s important to know your rights so you can avoid paying thousands of extra dollars for goods and services that are too expensive, falsely advertised, or simply unnecessary.
For many Marylanders, their home is the single largest and most important asset in their family. Protect it with proper estate planning.
A life estate is a type of property ownership where two or more people have ownership rights. The life tenant is the person with the right to possess and use the property for the duration of their life. This means that the life tenant has lifetime use of the property.
This article describes a general process for giving away property rights to someone else for no money. For example, you may wish to make a gift of property, or you may wish to add a family member to your deed. You should be aware that simply adding someone to a property deed can have very different results depending on the exact words used in the new deed. If you are buying or selling property, it is important to get professional help.
This article defines and describes the basic law of trusts.
Maryland law protects spouses from being disinherited by the other. The rule of law called the elective share gives the surviving spouse the right to receive a fixed amount of the deceased spouse’s estate. The purpose of the elective share is to ensure that the surviving spouse is provided for, within reason, for the remainder of his or her life.
Estate Administration & Probate
This article explains the general timeline for administering an estate in Maryland.
An introduction to Estate Management, explaining the first steps to take to administer an estate after death occurs.
Obtaining the will to be filed and determining the personal representative.
How to determine whether the estate you need to file is classified as a Small Estate or as a Regular Estate.
What forms need to be filed to open a small estate, and where.
This article describes how to manage a Small Estate, once the necessary paperwork to start management has been filed.
Unfortunately, some funeral homes try to take advantage of customers. Planning a funeral may be a very emotional time for you. It’s important to know your rights so you can avoid paying thousands of extra dollars for goods and services that are too expensive, falsely advertised, or simply unnecessary.
Maryland law protects spouses from being disinherited by the other. The rule of law called the elective share gives the surviving spouse the right to receive a fixed amount of the deceased spouse’s estate. The purpose of the elective share is to ensure that the surviving spouse is provided for, within reason, for the remainder of his or her life.
Wills
Contesting a will is a formal way of asking the court to determine if a will is valid or not. A will may be contested for a variety of reasons.
A will is a written legal document that states what you want done about various topics after you die. A will can include your wishes about what happens to your belongings (called the "estate"), and about who will care for any minor children.
When someone dies without a will (intestate), their property distribution follows a legal hierarchy. Spouses, children, parents, siblings, & others inherit based on specific rules. Learn more about intestacy law in Maryland.
File the will promptly. You can file the will now, and open an estate later. It is a crime to change or destroy a will.