410-296-8166
Having a properly executed advance directive is absolutely critical in nursing home negligence cases. What is an advance directive? An advance directive is a legal document that allows you to explain your decisions about medical care. If you are unable to make decisions or communicate in the future, this makes it easier for your loved…
Nursing Home Neglect At some nursing homes and assisted living facilities, the staff and aides are underpaid, untrained, and overworked. In these situations, there is usually a high turnover rate. Therefore, mistakes might often be repeated and not corrected. The mistakes only come to light when disaster strikes, and a family member is willing to…
When your family member is in a nursing home, it’s important to protect their assets, especially these two: House The house is often the focus of asset protection. It’s typically the most substantial asset of an estate. You might be wondering, “Will my family member lose the house?” Usually you don’t have to sell the…
It’s scary how expensive nursing homes can be. And it’s even scarier when you have more than one elderly family member to consider. You just got the first nursing home bill. Yikes! Now what? The average cost of a nursing home in Maryland is about $10,000 a month, according to Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey…
One of the first steps in the Maryland adult guardianship process is filing a petition with a circuit court. If you’re preparing to file a petition for guardianship, you might have some questions. Am I eligible to petition for guardianship? According to the law, you must be an interested person to petition for guardianship. An interested…
If someone’s health condition prevents them from making decisions regarding their medical care and finances, they may need a court appointed adult guardian. How to Become an Adult Guardian in Maryland We routinely provide advice regarding the guardianship rules and processes. Here is an overview on how to become an adult guardian in Maryland. A…
What happens if I can’t find my dad’s original last will and testament? Can I use a photocopy of his last will and testament? There are problems in using a copy of a last will and testament. Prior to about ten years ago, the answer was you could not submit a photocopy of one’s last…
Sometimes a proposed beneficiary distribution needs to be corrected after the death of a loved one. Example 1: Grandchildren Born After the Will Was Signed One common circumstance is when a grandparent’s last will and testament clearly indicates that all of her grandchildren will inherit an equal share. She names all of the grandchildren who…
The Maryland inheritance tax is what I like to call the “sneaky death tax.” For many families, the imposition of the federal estate tax and the Maryland estate tax is not a practical concern, since these taxes only apply to multi-million-dollar estates. However, the Maryland inheritance tax is a 10% tax on all distributions to…
Creditors are one of the more complicated parts of the Maryland probate process. One of the core functions of a personal representative is to determine if there are creditors for the estate. Making a mistake regarding creditors is one of the few ways that a personal representative can be held personally responsible for a mistake…