By Tim Barkley. January 2026. Q: My mother can’t find her will that she did through your office. Do you have a copy? A: We probably have an electronic copy, but that’s not necessarily helpful. If you can’t produce the original when she dies, it’s assumed that she...
By Tim Barkley. November 2025. Q: I signed my will in another state. I wrote it out by hand. There are no witnesses, but it is notarized. Is it valid here? A: A valid Maryland will must be in writing, intended to be a will, signed by the “testator” (the person making...
By Tim Barkley. October 2025. Q: My will and powers of attorney are 30 years old. Do they need to be redrafted? A: Your documents don’t need to be redrafted just because of their age, but their might be other changes to the law, terminology, technology or societal...
By Tim Barkley. August 2025. Q: What happens if I don’t write a will? A: Your “estate” – everything you own that has no living joint owner or beneficiary – will be administered through “probate” and distributed under state “intestacy” statutes. Sometimes that’s OK,...
By Tim Barkley. June 2025. Q: My child is headed to college. Is there anything I need to think about? A: Your child needs financial and medical powers of attorney (“POA’s”). Even though you’re the Mom, once your child becomes an adult his or her financial and medical...
