A client called not long ago to tell me her husband had died. We talked for a while about the funeral, and she told me she was doing about as well as anyone does in that first post-death week. Then she mentioned the yellow legal pad on her kitchen table, filled with notes about bank accounts, car titles, and a…
Category: Death Planning
How to Donate Your Body to Science in Maryland: What the State Anatomy Board Requires
A woman in her seventies once told her children she’d already taken care of it. She’d added a line to her will donating her body to science, so there was nothing left for them to arrange. When she died several years later, her children learned that line meant nothing. Maryland’s whole-body donation program had never heard of her. The woman…
What Happens to Firearms During Probate in Maryland?
Most people assume firearms pass through an estate the same way other personal belongings do. In Maryland, however, firearms are subject to additional legal requirements that personal representatives must follow before they can be transferred to a beneficiary. Understanding these rules can help avoid costly mistakes and ensure the estate is administered properly. Most personal property passes through probate without…
What Happens to Frequent Flyer Miles and Rewards Points After Death in Maryland?
Two hundred thousand frequent flyer miles. A guest suite’s worth of hotel points. A stack of credit card rewards that never quite got redeemed. None of it shows up on an estate inventory the way a house or a savings account does. And under most rewards program rules, none of it may legally belong to the person who spent years…
Some thoughts on Gift Taxes To Anyone other than your Spouse
Gift-giving is a time-honored tradition that allows us to express our love, appreciation, and generosity towards the people we care about. Whether it’s a token of gratitude, a gesture of support, or simply a way to make someone’s day brighter, gifts hold immense significance in our relationships. However, when it comes to giving substantial gifts to individuals other than our…
What are Death Taxes, and What Do They Mean For Me?
A key component of estate planning is minimizing and planning for the taxes that might be owed. Each state has its own rules, so this post concentrates on Maryland. In Maryland, there are typically three potential taxes that might be owed when someone dies: estate tax, inheritance tax, and income tax. Estate Taxes Estate taxes are taxes imposed on your…
Did Mom or Dad Have Life Insurance?
How do you find out if someone had life insurance after they have died? And if they did have it, who are the beneficiaries? It’s tough to figure out on your own since most life insurance companies won’t take any action to notify beneficiaries until someone reports the insured’s death. So where do you start? The first thing you need…
Why Singletons Should Prepay for Cremation
Absent prepayment, funeral homes require next-of-kin to agree to cremation for recently-departed loved-ones (“decedents”) who have indicated a preference for the process in their wills. If the decedent was married at the time of death, the surviving spouse can authorize cremation. If the decedent was unmarried but had children, the children must unanimously agree to a cremation. And, if the…
You Have Your Way, but Where’s Your Will?
Not finding a loved one’s signed, original will is very frustrating. If the will cannot be found, then it cannot be used. Clients sometimes tell me that their mom or dad died with a will, but it can’t be found. Courts will not probate the idea of a will, so we actually need the signed original. In some circumstances, a…