Maryland · Estate & Probate
The Maryland Wills, Trusts & Estates Guide
Understanding Maryland Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, and the State's Unique Tax Laws.
2026-2027 Edition · Cited to Maryland law · Plain language
Paperback · $19.99
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Add-on: Texas Wills & Powers of Attorney Pack · $39.99
Eleven editable forms that go with this guide, including a will, financial and medical powers of attorney and a living will, with a signing guide. Instant download; Word and PDF.
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Cited to the statute · Legal information, not legal advice
Maryland wills, trusts, and estates, explained step by step
Will requirements, living trusts under the Maryland Trust Act, powers of attorney, intestate succession, and Maryland's two death taxes.
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Maryland estate law has features found nowhere else, including both a state estate tax and a separate inheritance tax.
The Maryland Wills, Trusts & Estates Guide explains how estate planning and estate administration work in Maryland, from the view of the person making a plan and from the view of the personal representative, trustee, or beneficiary. It covers the formal requirements for a valid will under Estates and Trusts § 4-102, including the two-witness rule, electronic and remotely witnessed wills, and why unwitnessed handwritten wills are not valid for civilians.
The guide also explains:
• Revocable living trusts and the Maryland Trust Act, Title 14.5
• Financial powers of attorney and advance directives for health care
• Intestate succession when there is no will
• Administrative and judicial probate through the Register of Wills and the Orphans' Court
• The estate tax for estates over $5 million and the 10% inheritance tax on non-lineal heirs
Step-by-step walkthroughs cover building a plan and settling an estate or trust, and a question-and-answer chapter addresses will contests, trustee duties, beneficiary rights, and creditor deadlines. Checklists, a glossary, and comparison tables round out the guide.
This guide is for Maryland families planning ahead and for those settling an estate. Legal information, not legal advice.
WHAT’S INSIDE
- The Foundation: Maryland's Common Law Roots and Modern Statutes
- Wills: Your Last Will and Testament in Maryland
- Trusts: The Flexible Alternative to a Will
- Incapacity Planning: Powers of Attorney and Advance Directives
- Exceptions and Defenses
- Rights of Executor, Trustee or Beneficiary
- Step-by-step procedures from each side, with deadlines at a glance
- 21 real-world questions and answers
- Statute index, key court decisions and official forms
- Toolkit: checklists, comparison tables, glossary and common mistakes to avoid
WHY READERS TRUST THIS GUIDE
Plain language. Cited to the statute. Dated so you know it is current.
Every rule is cited to Maryland law so you can verify it.
Cited, so you can check it
Every rule names the section of Maryland law it comes from, so you can read the source yourself.
Plain language, no filler
Written to be read start to finish by someone with no legal training, with worked examples.
Dated and updated
Each guide carries a law-current date and new editions ship when the law changes.
Bonus toolkit
Register your book for this topic’s checklists, worksheets and starter template, as soon as they are ready.
QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU BUY
Maryland will requirements: what to know before you order.
Straight answers about what the guide is, what it covers and how it reaches you.
How many witnesses does a Maryland will need?
At least two credible witnesses who sign in the testator's presence, under § 4-102. The guide explains electronic and remote witnessing and why notarization is not required.
Can a handwritten will be valid in Maryland?
An unwitnessed handwritten will is not valid for civilians in Maryland. The only exception is for members of the U.S. armed forces under § 4-103. The guide explains the rules.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is legal information in plain language, cited to the law, so you understand your options and know what to ask. Reading it creates no attorney-client relationship.
Is it written for Maryland?
Yes. This guide is written for Maryland law and cites the Maryland statutes and rules it relies on. If your case is in another state, choose that state's edition.
KEEP GOING
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PLEASE READ
Legal information, not legal advice. STACKED LEGAL® is a publisher, not a law firm. Buying or reading this book creates no attorney-client relationship and promises no outcome. Laws change; verify current law and talk to a licensed attorney in Maryland about your situation.
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