Probate

In Maryland, a probate proceeding is required to transfer those assets which are owned individually by a deceased person (“decedent”) who is domiciled in Maryland on the date of his or her death. The probate process has as its ultimate goal the transfer of property from the decedent to that individual’s beneficiaries who are identified in a Will (after the payment of expenses and claims). The estate is administered by the Personal Representative who is appointed by the Orphan’s Court for the county in which the decedent was domiciled at the time of death.(The individual named in the Will as Personal Representative will generally serve as such. If there is no Will, Maryland law provides a “pecking order.”) The Personal Representative must follow specific procedures and deadlines for reporting estate assets, income and expenses and proposed distributions.

The attorney for the estate represents the Personal Representative and provides such advice and services as are requested or required by the Personal Representative. If you have been appointed as Personal Representative in a recently deceased person’s Will, or are seeking to open an estate of someone who has died without a Will, you should seek our advice regarding your responsibilities and how we can help you through the probate process. In our office, the probate assistance is provided by our attorney/paralegal team comprised of Aryeh, Amanda, Liz and Erin. Due to the specialized nature of our practice, we have had considerable experience and expertise in making this process as streamlined and cost-effective as possible. We handle all aspects of the probate process- from ministerial to highly complex strategies. We have particular sophistication and expertise in preparing federal and Maryland estate tax returns.

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Amanda Hunt Franklin admitted as member; firm changes name to Guttenberg & Franklin, LLC

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New Maryland Financial Power of Attorney Effective October 1, 2010: Action Required!

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Aryeh selected as SuperLawyer for 2011