Articles - Chesapeake Wills & Trusts

How the $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill Aids Seniors

President Biden has signed the latest COVID-19 relief bill, which in addition to authorizing stimulus checks, funding vaccine distribution, and extending unemployment benefits, also provides assistance to seniors in a number of ways.

Can I Transfer My Grandmother’s Car to My Name Without Causing a Medicaid Penalty Period?

An elder law attorney suggested the purchase of a vehicle as a way to protect some of my grandma’s assets. While this would be excluded during the Medicaid spend-down, what can we do to prevent the car from being taken by estate recovery after she passes? I was told to do a title transfer from her name to mine after she is qualified for Medicaid. Is it really that simple?

Biden Administration Eases Recommended Restrictions on Nursing Home Visits

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued new guidance on whether families can visit loved ones in nursing homes. The guidance allows indoor visitation even when the resident has not been vaccinated.

Why an Irrevocable Trust May Be Superior to Gifting

Parents and other family members who want to pass on assets during their lifetimes may be tempted to gift the assets. Although setting up an irrevocable trust lacks the simplicity of giving a gift, it may be a better way to preserve assets for the future.

Using Estate Planning to Prepare for Medicaid

Long-term care involves not only a loss of personal autonomy; it also comes at a tremendous financial price. Proper planning can help your family prepare for the financial toll and protect assets for future generations.

I’m the Personal Representative for Probate. How Do I Find The Assets?

When you become the personal representative of an estate, one of your functions is to locate the assets of the decedent. If the decedent was well organized and had an estate planning binder, that’s the first place to start. A well organized estate planning binder will...

Complete Guide to the Forms Required at the Maryland Register of Wills

Filing with the Maryland Register of Wills can be confusing. This article discusses the Maryland register of wills forms and everything you need to know before filing. If the decedent did not have a will, read our article on intestate succession (dying without a...

Probate Process in Maryland: Everything You Need to Know, Explained by an Estate Attorney

The Maryland Probate Process: What Is It? Probate is the court-supervised process of identifying the assets, debts, and beneficiaries of the person who passed away (the “decedent”). If the decedent had a will, the will tells us how to ultimately distribute their...

Dying Without a Will? How Intestate Succession Works in Maryland Probate

Creating a will is incredibly important in Maryland. Common questions we get are, what happens if you die without a will? What are intestate succession laws in Maryland? What are the inheritance laws? First, be sure to check out our in-depth article on the probate...