Best Lawyers in Maryland, United States for Trusts and Estates

Practice Area Overview

Planning for the future isn’t just about writing down your wishes—it’s about making sure they’re legally enforceable and financially sound. In Maryland, trust and estate planning has its own challenges including complex tax rules and other state-specific requirements that can trip up anyone without the appropriate legal background.

Whether you're drafting a Last Will and Testament, setting up a trust or working to reduce estate taxes for your heirs, having a knowledgeable Maryland trust lawyer on your side is essential to safeguarding your legacy.

Understanding Maryland Trust and Estates Law

  • A trust lawyer in Maryland helps clients plan for the management and distribution of their assets during life and after death by:
  • Creating wills, trusts and other critical estate planning documents
  • Advising on wealth preservation and asset protection
  • Assisting with probate and estate administration
  • Developing incapacity plans, such as powers of attorney and advance medical directives
  • Advising on and minimizing estate and inheritance taxes

Maryland trust and estates law is similar to many other states that rely on common law and a statutory framework based on the Uniform Trust Code (UTC). However, the Maryland legislature has made several significant modifications to the UTC that impact how trusts are administered and enforced.

For instance, Maryland eliminated the requirement for trustees to keep beneficiaries informed about trust administration. It also introduced provisions permitting virtual representation through a representative designated by the settlor. Unlike some other jurisdictions, the Maryland probate court (the Orphans' Court) does not have jurisdiction over trusts and other non-probate arrangements. It’s also one of the few states that imposes both an inheritance tax and an estate tax.

If you’re looking to develop an estate plan that aligns with your wishes, minimizes tax liabilities for your heirs and reduces the potential for disputes after you’ve passed, it’s critical to connect with a Maryland trust attorney who understands these nuances and their implications for your legacy.

Why You May Need a Trust Lawyer in Maryland

Estate planning is never one-size-fits-all. In many cases, working with a skilled trust and estates lawyer in Maryland isn’t just beneficial—it’s essential. From explaining basic requirements for a trust to navigating complex questions regarding the distribution of assets, an experienced local attorney can provide the clarity needed to make well-informed decisions at every step in your estate planning journey.

Estate Planning and Asset Protection

A knowledgeable Maryland trust lawyer does more than draft documents—they can help you build a strategy to preserve and protect what matters most. By leveraging the right combination of trusts, asset ownership arrangements and legal exemptions, your attorney can shield your wealth from creditors, lawsuits and unnecessary taxes. With their guidance, you can ensure your legacy will be there for future generations.

Incapacity Planning

A Maryland trust lawyer can help you create a living trust, draft durable powers of attorney and prepare advanced directives to ensure your wishes are honored if you’re ever unable to make decisions for yourself.

Business Succession

A business succession plan is critical to facilitate a seamless transfer of ownership to your chosen successors while reducing taxes and avoiding disputes. By leveraging tools like trusts and buy-sell agreements, a trust lawyer in Maryland can ensure business continuity upon your departure or death.

Establishing and Administrating Trusts

If you intend to incorporate one or more trusts into your estate plan, a Maryland trust attorney can provide expert guidance that answers your most pressing questions:

  • Can I write my own trust in Maryland?
  • What are the requirements for a trust in Maryland?
  • What are the rules governing trusts in Maryland?
  • Is it better to have a trust or a will in Maryland?
  • How do I put my house in a trust in Maryland?

Administrating a trust also brings significant legal and fiduciary responsibilities. By partnering with a knowledgeable Maryland trust and estates lawyer, you’ll be equipped to make better informed and legally sound decisions.

Finding a Great Trust and Estates Lawyer

Whether you’re exploring estate planning for the first time or are seeking to update an existing plan to align with your family’s evolving needs, identifying the best Maryland trust and estate planning lawyer from hundreds of potential choices isn’t exactly straight forward.

Fortunately, you can rely on Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer-review legal directory in the industry. Considered the gold standard, every Maryland trust lawyer ranked in our directory has been evaluated through extensive confidential annual surveys conducted among tens of thousands of legal professionals. Once ranked, a lawyer must continue to receive high marks from their peers year after year to maintain their Best Lawyers listing. Because our selection process is entirely peer-driven, paid placements are prohibited, ensuring that every attorney featured in the directory has genuinely earned their honor.

By allowing you to filter by practice area, location and even firm names, Best Lawyers gives you access to detailed profiles complete with peer ratings, so you can make a well-informed decision and connect with the best trust and estates lawyer in Maryland for your specific needs.

Taking the Next Steps in Maryland Estate Planning

A great Maryland trust lawyer provides more than just a legally compliant estate plan; these highly qualified professionals offer peace of mind.

Don’t rely on guesswork—let Best Lawyers connect you with trusted, fully vetted legal professionals with the skillset and experience to achieve your goals.

Begin your search today!

 

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Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.

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Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.