Articles - Chesapeake Wills & Trusts

The Importance of Trusting Your Fiduciary

When you create a trust, you’re not just thinking about the property you’ll place inside of it, but who will be responsible for managing it. This person is known as the trustee and they hold an important fiduciary duty to act on behalf of the beneficiary’s best...

Should You Give Gifts to Grandchildren in A Trust?

It’s a nice thing to do to pass on assets to your grandchildren and it can be used to help reduce the size of your estate. In 2020, you can give each of your grandchildren up to $15000 under the gift tax without having to report those gifts. While you might choose to...

Talk to Your Family Members About Your Estate Planning Intentions

You might not want to think about what your own estate plan entails, which means you could put off having a good conversation with your loved ones about it. It’s very nerve-wracking when no one your family, including your elderly parents, will discuss their estate...

You Need to Be Prepared to Discuss Estate Planning with Your Family Members

It's hard enough to come to your own conclusions about what you want your estate plan to look like, which means that you've probably put off having a conversation about it with your family members too. But talking about estate planning is important for your sake and...

We’re Giving 10% of New Estate Planning Fees to the Baltimore Washington Medical Center Foundation

Giving back to the community is important to everyone at Chesapeake Wills and Trusts. That’s why we’re donating 10% of the fee we receive from every new estate planning client who retains us through June 3 to the Baltimore Washington Medical Center (BWMC) Foundation....

How the CARES Act Will Impact Required Minimum Distributions, Retirement Planning, and Estate Planning

We wanted to bring you some important updates about your retirement accounts and how you might be able to utilize these new developments in your long-term financial and estate planning. Required Minimum Distributions in 2020: If you were expecting to have to take a...

Can You Afford to Skip a Will in Your Estate Plan?

Do you have minor children? Do you have specific plans for pieces of your property that you want to pass to certain people in your family? Do you want to exclude other people from your estate? If any of these apply to you, you could benefit from a will. The most...

What Happens When a Maryland Trustee Passes Away?

The governing documents established at the creation of the trust determine what happens if the role of trustee is vacated for any reason. This includes the trustee’s decision to step out of the role, a legal conflict in which the court determines the trustee needs to...

Understanding Advanced Healthcare Directives After a Cancer Diagnosis

Realizing that you’ve just been diagnosed with a serious medical condition can be an overwhelming prospect. There are many things to think about when it comes to protecting yourself and your family during this challenging time. Don’t neglect the opportunity to create...