July 2024. Q: I’m the court-appointed guardian for my brother. He just died. What do I have to do? A: I’m sorry, both that your brother passed away and that you have to go through all the steps required for the termination of a guardianship. First, you have to...
June 2024. Q: My sister can’t pay her own bills anymore and can’t take care of herself. What can I do? She never signed a power of attorney. A: Your only option is to file in the courts for guardianship. Unfortunately, that’s a long, expensive and frustrating process....
May 2024. The vacation is all planned, tickets bought, pet sitters engaged, but … “Hon, did we ever sign that will?” “What will? The one you downloaded? No, because we could never figure out the thing for the kids’ money.” “Oh, yeah. Well, do you want to pull it up...
April 2024. Q: I’m not married to my partner, but want to leave everything to my partner when I die. I’ve heard that there are huge taxes. What can I do? A: If you and your partner are “domestic partners,” the Maryland inheritance tax that levies a 10% tax when your...
March 2024. Q: I’m not married to my partner. I have kids from my marriage. Why do I need a will? Won’t everything just go to my kids, since my partner and I aren’t married? A: As of last year, your “domestic partner” becomes like a spouse, and will get half of your...
February 2024. Q: When I sign a power of attorney or will, who knows about it? A: Only you, your attorney, and anyone you tell. Your attorney can’t even disclose that he or she has met you, and certainly can’t disclose that you’ve signed a power of attorney or will,...
