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What Death Taxes are Payable in Maryland?

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Both the federal and state governments impose taxes upon the property/estate of a decedent. A federal estate tax with graduated rates is imposed on all property interests that the decedent owned at the time of death. The federal estate tax applies to probate assets and also to non-probate assets. For example, joint property and insurance […]

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Maryland Probate: Creditor Filing Deadline

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How long do creditors have to file a claim against an estate in Maryland? Maryland Estates & Trusts law provides that creditors, except for those otherwise exempt by statute, have six (6) months from the date the decedent died to file claims. All claims against a Maryland estate of a decedent, whether due now or […]

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Maryland Estate Administration, File Format of Documents

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The way in which documents may be obtained from the Register of Wills Office depends upon the particular Maryland county. In some Register of Wills Offices records are stored in digital format and can be viewed on computer terminals while older records are available on paper, microfilm, microfiche or docket books depending on the age […]

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Who Serves as the Personal Representative in Maryland When There Is No Will?

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Maryland law provides the following order of priority: the surviving spouse and children; the residuary legatees; the grandchildren of the decedent who are entitled to share in the estate; the parents of the decedent who are entitled to share in the estate; the brothers and sisters of the decedent who are entitled to share in […]

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When are Maryland Will Contents Reveled?

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The contents of the Will may be revealed to family members and interested parties after the person has died. This disclosure is done by the Personal Representative for the estate. The Personal Representative, or an attorney on their behalf, have a duty to properly notify all those who could receive distributions from the estate. The […]

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MD Estate Administration, Obtaining Will Copies

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Once a will or any other document has been filed with a Maryland estate, copies of those documents can be requested. Each county is different in how they manage the process but all will provide the documents upon request while charging a fee for the document and the number of pages requested. The request should […]

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Distributions From a Maryland Probate Small Estate

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Under Maryland law the Personal Representative (known in other states as Executor) of the Maryland small estate can begin to make distribution of assets after the time for filing claims has expired. With most Maryland small estates this time period will expire six months after the Personal Representative has been issued Letters of Administration. Distributions […]

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Validity of a Handwritten Will in Maryland

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Under Maryland law a handwritten will, which is also known as a holographic will, is considered legally valid. There is no requirement in Maryland law that a will be typed. That said, the will must still conform with all the other requirements for estate documents as provided for under Maryland law and having a handwritten […]

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Baltimore, Maryland Probate Lawyer: Personal Representative’s Responsibility

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Clients often ask: as the Personal Representative am I personally responsible for the bills that my loved one received just before passing? Under Maryland law the Personal Representative (known in other states as Executor) of the estate is not personally liable for the decedent’s debt unless the debt was co-owned by the Personal Representative. If […]

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Baltimore, Maryland Estate Administration: How to Remove a Personal Representative

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Under Maryland Law a Personal Representative can be removed from service. Maryland law sets the standard for removal. To remove a PR you should retain a Baltimore probate attorney so that the facts can be evaluated against the law, and if necessary a hearing can be held. There have also been instances where having an […]

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