One of the most common misconceptions in estate planning is that having a will allows an estate to avoid probate. It does not. In fact, a will is typically the document that directs how property is distributed through the probate process, not around it. For homeowners and families in Maryland Read more
Many people create a revocable living trust believing it will help their family avoid probate after they pass away. Often, that is exactly what happens. However, simply signing a trust agreement does not automatically avoid probate. In fact, one of the most common estate planning issues I encounter is a Read more
When people think about estate planning, they usually think about wills and trusts. But there’s a critical piece that is often overlooked: How your real estate is titled. In Washington, DC and Maryland, estate plans frequently fail—not because the documents were drafted incorrectly, but because the deeds were never aligned Read more
Dealing with the passing of a loved one is already stressful enough, but often when a property owner passes away, of the first questions families ask is: What happens to the house now? In Washington, DC and Maryland, the answer depends entirely on how the property was titled before death. Read more