Author: Tara Frame

Whether you are planning to leave a small savings account, a long-established IRA, or a legacy of wealth, inheritance issues are best resolved before you pass on.  As a matter of fact, there are some legal strategies you can take now to minimize inheritance taxes, avoid probate in Maryland, and reduce fighting amongst your heirs. … Continued

How About Some Good News Before The Holidays? The holidays are less than 100 days away! If you're like me, this year has been a whirlwind. We have enjoyed taking a little detour from the headlines this year and in this edition we continue to focus on some good things that are happening all around us. First,… Continued

Trusts are created to manage assets during life, transfer assets at death, and control bequeath to heirs so as to protect inheritances. The main idea is who decides what goes where? Who controls a trust? Trusts allow a person to control his/her assets. If this is one of your estate planning goals, it’s time to… Continued

We Are Getting Ready for a Fun Summer! With summer right around the corner, there will be more time to spend with friends and family. I, personally, will be sending my first child, Gavin, off to college this year so it will be a really special summer for my family! To kickoff summer, we've got… Continued

Does your estate plan protect assets from long-term care costs? Does it include a strategy for long-term care?  Many people think that if they’ve done an estate plan, they have covered long-term care or Medicaid planning issues.  Nothing could be further from the truth. Medicaid planning is not estate planning and you’ll need an Elder… Continued

A marital trust enables you, the grantor of the trust, to set aside assets and property for your spouse if you die before he or she does. These assets can include stocks, bonds, mutual fund accounts, bank accounts, real property, and more. A marital trust also allows you to pass these assets over to a… Continued

After a person dies, there are certain legal matters that must be handled to ensure that inheritances are appropriately handed down, taxes and debts are paid, and that critical financial details are solidified.  If the person died without a will, Maryland law requires, and Maryland trust attorneys recommend, that the probate be open to addressing… Continued

Following the death of your parent, spouse, partner, or other family member, it may be difficult to do anything but grieve.  This is the time to be with family and focus on your own emotional well-being.  However, there are countless legal issues that must be addressed, relatively quickly.   In some cases, the estate administration process… Continued

What is Probate and Why Should I Care? When an individual dies, unless, they have a trust, their assets first have to pass through probate before they can be transferred to beneficiaries. Probate is the legal process of validating a person’s will and making distribution pursuant to the terms of the will. During probate, the… Continued

Today’s COVID crisis has heightened our awareness of the unexpected. If you are over 60, or are caring for a senior or parent, you are no doubt in the midst of crisis management. This can be a tough time, requiring tough decisions, especially if long-term care is required.  Unfortunately, many families are not properly prepared… Continued