Estate Planning, Elder Law, and Disability
Law in the Greater Baltimore, MD Area
Estate Planning, Elder Law, and Disability Law in the Greater Baltimore, MD Area
Your Trusted Resource for Estate Planning, Elder Law, and Disability Law in the Greater Baltimore, MD Area
About Us
Our Core Values
KNOWLEDGE THROUGH ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT
The laws that impact our clients are constantly changing, and proper advocacy requires our team to understand all potential laws and future changes. We are invested in continuing our knowledge through our involvement in organizations, boards, and councils throughout our industry.
SELF-AWARENESS, HONESTY, AND INTEGRITY
We don’t know everything, and we built our firm on a culture of acknowledging when we need to research for answers to clients’ questions, and working with our clients to find outside assistance when appropriate. It’s our top priority to find you the right assistance for your situation. We do not accept, nor offer, referral fees. Referrals we make are based on our understanding of the knowledge and reputation of the individual / entity, as well as client experience and compatibility.
COMMITMENT TO LISTENING, NOT JUST HEARING
The matters our clients face involve many complex facets of life. Seemingly insignificant details can have significant impacts. We would not be doing our job if we did not take the time to understand the big picture before we analyze what options may be right for you.
GENUINE CARE AND CONCERN
We are truly blessed to have lasting relationships with many of our clients beyond the conclusion of our representation. Unfortunately, several of those relationships have concluded due to the death of the client, or otherwise changed due to the client’s cognitive impairment, such as the effects of dementia. The occurrence of those sensitive events is when having a plan becomes most critical. The decisions we help clients to make relate to death, disability, and taxes – none of which are “fun” topics. We have provided assistance to clients and their families through death and disability, and we do not take our responsibility lightly. We take the time necessary to empower you to make informed and thoughtful decisions.
Practice Areas
We are an elder law and asset protection firm of experienced and compassionate advocates here to assist you with a broad range of services related to planning for health care needs, long-term care and estate management.
ELDER LAW AND DISABILITY RIGHTS (“ELDR”)
including the above and:
- “Age-in-Place” At-Home Care Planning
- Healthcare Cost & Long-term Care Planning
- Medicaid Planning and Qualification
- Nursing Home Family Asset Protection
- Special Needs & Disability Planning (Including ABLE Accounts)
- Capacity & Competency Planning
- Guardianships
Estate Planning & Administration
Estate planning and administration services are sought for a broad range of reasons. What are some of the most common reasons why we work with clients to legally formalize their intentions?
- Estate Tax and Gift Tax Planning
- Probate Fee and Delay Avoidance
- Tax Mitigation for Multi-Generational Planning (GSST)
- Blended Family Planning
- Retirement Account Tax Planning
- Charitable Giving Planning
- “Productive Member of Society” Protection Planning
- Vacation Home Ownership by Multiple Families
- Creditor Protection
- Business Succession
- Elder Law and Disability Rights (“ELDR”) – including the above and:
- Revocable/Irrevocable Trusts
- Special Needs Trusts
- Residence Trusts / Vacation Residence Trusts
- Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts
- Creditor Protection Trusts
- Tax-Savings Trusts
- Discretionary Trusts
- Dynasty Trusts
Common Documents:
- Wills
- Financial Power of Attorney
- Advance Medical Directives / Healthcare
- Power of Attorney
ESTATE AND TRUST ADMINISTRATION
After an individual’s death, the individual named as the Personal Representative of the Estate (or sometimes, the Trustee of a Trust) will have any number of obligations with regard to winding up the affairs of the deceased person. There are many aspects of administration which may need to be addressed by that fiduciary.
- Locating and valuing assets
- Determining creditors of the estate or trust and evaluating their claims
- Determining tax filing obligations of the individual, estate, and/or trust
- Probate Court and Register of Wills filings
- Coordinating the distribution of assets
Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs)
A QDRO allows a former spouse or alternate payee to receive all or some of the retirement plan benefits payable to a plan participant. It is be used to divide marital property or to pay alimony and/or child support. QDROs can be daunting for those involved in the retirement asset division process. Our approach to QDRO preparation simplifies the process while educating our clients in a clear and concise manner.
Testimonials
Our Team
PRIMARY FOCUSES:
Elder Law, Estate Planning, and Estate Administration
BACKGROUND (SUMMARIZED):
Estate planning (with a focus on tax mitigation and planning for blended families); Estate and Trust administration.
PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS / CURIOSITIES: PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS / CURIOSITIES:
Maximizing effectiveness of estate planning in light of sometimes competing financial, tax, and family concerns.
PRIMARY FOCUSES:
Elder Law and Estate Planning (Special Needs and Long-Term Care focused).
BACKGROUND (SUMMARIZED):
Business/finance; tax; estate planning
PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS / CURIOSITIES:
Legislative and other policy efforts; planning in light of global retirement and care opportunities for the “average Joe”.
PRIMARY FOCUSES:
QDROs (drafting, review, mediation, and litigation), Guardianships and Capacity / Competency Planning, and Prenuptial / Postnuptial Agreements.
BACKGROUND (SUMMARIZED):
Retirement benefits, ERISA, litigation, family law, estates and trusts.
PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS / CURIOSITIES:
Retirement benefits and the use of QDROs in planning for long term care benefits, legislation and policy matters affecting the constituents of Maryland, especially our most vulnerable populations including the elderly and the disabled.
BACKGROUND (SUMMARIZED):
Politics and policy; personal, firsthand experience with various programs, including Maryland ABLE.
PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS / CURIOSITIES:
Legislative and other policy efforts; disability advocacy; advocacy for sustainable growth of the middle class.
What to Expect During Our Process
Every matter is unique, but the timelines provided below can give you a guide to our process.
Initial Consult
This meeting is free of charge, and typically lasts around 30 minutes. The goal of our initial consultation is to discuss your situation generally, so we may determine if we are best suited to assist you, or if a referral should be made.
First In-depth Meeting
Following an initial consultation, we will ask that you complete a questionnaire in anticipation of our first in-depth, client-specific meeting to begin formulating a course of action. Generally, these meetings last 1-1.5 hours, and we charge a $375.00 meeting fee for the first two hours, followed by our regular hourly rates beginning immediately thereafter.
Matter-Specific Timelines
We often deal with multiple matters at the same time for some of our clients, and the phases below are merely illustrative. Phases often run simultaneously or overlap. We can assist in a variety of factors, including advising on an as-needed basis or fully managing the administration process from start to finish.
Examples:
ESTATE ADMINISTRATION
(9-18 months)
ESTATE PLANNING
(4-5 weeks)
Initial Meeting
- Phase 1: Discovery and Planning
- Phase 2: Draft, Review, Revise and Sign
- Phase 3: Implementation
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE QUALIFICATION / NURSING HOME FAMILY ASSET PROTECTION
(8-12 months)
Initial Meeting
- Phase 1: Discovery and Planning
- Phase 2: Qualification
- Phase 3: Application and Review Process
- Phase 4: Determination of Eligibility and Post-Eligibility To-Dos (if needed)
- Phase 5: Continuing Eligibility and Redetermination
- Phase 6: Post-Mortem
CAPACITY / COMPETENCY PRE-NEED PLANNING
(2-3 weeks)
Initial Meeting
- Phase 1: Discovery and Planning
- Phase 2: Draft, Review, Revise and Sign
- Phase 3: Implementation
GUARDIANSHIPS
(3-4 months)
Initial Meeting
- Phase 1: Discovery and Planning
- Phase 2: Draft, Review, Revise and Sign
- Phase 3: Implementation
QUALIFIED DOMESTIC RELATIONS ORDERS
(varies; est. 7-10 business days for draft order)
Initial Meeting
- Phase 1: Discovery and Planning
- Phase 2: Draft, Review, Revise and Sign
- Phase 3: Implementation
Contact Us
3300 N. Ridge Road, Suite 215
Ellicott City, Maryland 21043
(443) 741-2120
info@mdestatelawyers.com