Helping You Plan for Your Future
Estate planning involves preparing documents and directives to manage a person’s finances and care in the event of their incapacitation or death. It’s about making informed decisions today to ensure your assets are distributed according to your wishes and that your end-of-life care preferences are known and respected. This planning can include drafting a will and/or setting up trusts.
An estate plan allows your assets to be distributed to the designated beneficiaries or heirs, potentially limits tax liabilities, prevents disputes among family members, and can circumvent the often lengthy and costly probate process, mainly when trusts are utilized. Estate planning is about peace of mind.
A trusted estate planning attorney plays a pivotal role in this process. They work closely with clients to develop strategies that fully express their wishes, crafting personalized plans that reflect each client’s unique situation and needs. From navigating complex legal requirements to addressing potential future scenarios, a lawyer can cover all bases, providing a comprehensive approach to asset distribution and care directives.
At Scheuerman Law, we proudly offer Baltimore estate planning services. With 50 years of combined legal experience, our attorneys bring a wealth of knowledge and a compassionate approach to each case. We understand the importance of getting estate planning right and creating tailored solutions to meet the needs of our clients. Our commitment to personalized care enables us to design estate plans that are as unique as our clients, securing their legacies and protecting their loved ones.
Our Baltimore estate planning attorneys are here to help. Contact us at 443-888-2062 to discuss your situation.
How Can Our Baltimore Estate Planning Lawyers Help You Develop Personalized Estate Planning Strategies?
Estate planning is a deeply personal process, requiring a nuanced approach tailored to each individual’s unique circumstances and needs. It’s not just about distributing assets; it’s about preserving your legacy and ensuring that your loved ones are cared for according to your wishes.
The foundation of effective estate planning lies in understanding the array of tools and strategies available. These can range from simple wills that specify asset distribution to more complex trusts designed for tax benefits and avoiding probate.
Key considerations in developing an estate plan include:
- Family dynamics
- Financial situation
- Tax implications
- Future needs
- Charitable intentions
Effective estate planning is a collaborative endeavor between the client and their attorney. The process involves open communication, where clients share their concerns and objectives, and attorneys guide them with legal tools and strategies to achieve those aims. Together, they work through complex issues, exploring scenarios and devising plans that can offer security.
What Services Does an Estate Planning Attorney Provide?
Our estate planning services provide clarity and peace of mind, focusing on wills and trusts.
Do You Need a Last Will and Testament?
A will is a written document outlining how you want your estate managed after you pass away. It can be the foundation of your estate plan, directing the distribution of your assets and ensuring that your final wishes are respected.
Critical components of a comprehensive will include a personal representative overseeing the estate’s settlement and specific instructions on how property should be distributed among heirs and beneficiaries.
For a will to be legally valid, it must be:
- Written
- Signed by the person making the will
- Attested by at least two witnesses
What Are Trusts?
A trust is a legal arrangement allowing a third party, or trustee, to manage assets on behalf of a beneficiary. One of the most common types of trusts in estate planning is the revocable living trust. This flexible arrangement can be modified or revoked by the trust maker during their lifetime and becomes irrevocable upon death.
By holding assets within a trust, you can avoid the probate process, facilitating a quicker and more private estate distribution.
What is Business Succession Planning?
Do you own a business or have an interest in a family business? If you have not established comprehensive business succession planning, there could be difficult questions about ownership and management in the case of death, incapacitation, or sudden retirement.
Business succession planning is a proactive process meant to help ensure the smooth transition of business ownership or management from one generation to the next. The process involves identifying potential successors, assessing business needs, remaking business structures, addressing legal and financial concerns, and implementing a well-crafted succession plan to help avoid business disruptions.
A Maryland attorney from our boutique law firm can lend legal assistance to you throughout the business succession planning process. For more information on this and other legal matters, please get in touch with our law office to schedule your free initial consultation today.
What is Long-Term Care and Medicaid Planning?
As we get older, we must begin to think about how to pay for our long-term care needs in the future. This may include nursing home care, in-home care, Medicaid planning, and more. Our law offices have extensive experience representing clients in a broad range of estate planning matters, including elder care concerns.
When long-term care planning becomes a necessity, which may happen sooner rather than later, you have to arrange your funds and other assets in such a way as to protect them while still maintaining eligibility for Medicaid assistance. Our lawyers can lend legal guidance to you as you address these concerns if you live in the Baltimore area. To learn more, please schedule a free case review today.
What is a Power of Attorney Document?
One essential step in creating an estate plan and managing estates is designating who should have a power of attorney. A power of attorney entrusts an individual, such as a close relative or friend, to act as the official decision-maker regarding estate and trust administration in the event of incapacitation.
Without a power of attorney document in place, there could be a scramble to address financial and medical concerns if you are ever left unable to speak for yourself. Do not leave your family members and loved ones in such a position. By entrusting estate planning law firms such as ours to draft powers of attorney and other documents, we can ensure that your wishes are respected and that the right person has the authority to make important decisions regarding finances, medical status, business affairs, and other important life decisions.
Contact our Baltimore, Maryland, law firm to learn more about powers of attorney documents.
What is the Estate Planning Probate Court Process?
When a person passes away, their estate must go through the probate court process. Probate, a public process, involves reading a will (if such a will existed), settling debts, identifying beneficiaries, distributing assets, and eventually closing the estate.
Probate is considered a lengthy and sometimes costly endeavor. Some wish to avoid the probate process by putting their assets into trusts. However, some probate may be necessary. If you are going through the probate process, it is recommended that you retain professional legal representation from experienced probate lawyers. This is especially the case if there is no estate plan in place and, therefore, no designated beneficiaries.
The probate process can be confusing, with lots of paperwork and other documents necessary to bring the process to a close. And all of this happens during a time of grieving, which can feel rather insensitive to surviving loved ones. But you don’t need to go through it alone. Our probate attorneys would proudly represent your concerns throughout the probate process.
What is Asset Protection Planning?
One of the concerns of estate planning is wealth and financial planning. This may involve asset protection strategies to minimize opportunities for creditor claims, tax liabilities, and lawsuits that could target and seize your assets. Our Baltimore County law firm helps develop asset protection strategies to restructure estates so that they look after the client’s best interest while protecting their assets during their lifetime and after death.
Another aspect of asset protection planning includes family law concerns such as prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.
Please contact our Baltimore law firm to schedule your free, no-obligation case evaluation and discuss asset protection strategies today.
What is a Living Will?
A living will, also known as an advanced health care directive, is an estate planning document that names a healthcare power of attorney (also known as your healthcare proxy) to make informed decisions about your medical treatment and care if you are ever left incapacitated due to illness or personal injury. Without living wills or advanced directives, these decisions would be made by the government and may require your loved ones to submit extra paperwork and other documents in order to get the authority to make decisions on your behalf.
None of us knows what’s behind the next corner. While estate planning is usually about concerns of life and death, serious injuries or illnesses could rob you of your ability to speak for yourself at any time. Therefore, there is an urgent need to begin estate planning and talking about living wills sooner rather than later. To learn more about the vital importance of a living will, please contact our Baltimore law firm for a free case evaluation.
What is Special Needs Planning?
Do you have a family member or a loved one with special needs or disabilities? What will happen to them after you are gone? There is a temptation to leave everything in an inheritance, believing that this will ensure that their lives are well taken care of. However, doing so could endanger their eligibility for special programs from the government. That’s why it’s important to consider special needs planning with the help of an estate planning attorney.
With the proper type of estate planning measures, such as the potential creation of a special needs trust, it is possible to ensure a better quality of life for our special needs loved ones while also helping them remain eligible for government benefits programs. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our law firm for legal assistance.
When is Too Early to Begin Considering Your Estate Planning Goals?
It is never too early to begin estate planning. But there is such a thing as waiting until it’s too late.
Ultimately, none of us know how long we have on this planet. We could live for many years more, or we might have just months left. Nobody knows. That’s part of the reason why people are so reluctant to think about estate planning — it can be a morbid subject. But if we don’t start thinking about it now, it might be too late to address the concerns later. Your will must be written while you are in good mental health. The same goes for other estate planning documents. If your will is written at a time when you have declining mental faculties, there could be a will contest.
The time to begin thinking about estate planning is now, not later. This is especially the case if you have minor children, and you want to make sure that they are well taken care of if you die an untimely death.
Please don’t wait. So few of us have proper estate planning documents in place because most of us would rather put it off until tomorrow. The time to consider your estates is now.
Our law firm has locations across the Baltimore area, including Bel Air, Columbia, Essex, and Glen Burnie offices. To learn more about how important estate plans are and to begin creating your estate planning documents, please contact our law firm.
What Do Our Past Clients Say About Our Estate Planning Services?
A great estate planning attorney can make all the difference.
- Our successful jury trials and 13 years of prosecutor experience is what you need on your side
- We have 50 years of combined legal experience among our attorneys
- Every case is handled strategically with precision and preparation
- We’re ready to take prosecutors, judges, and juries head-on for you
- Defending against charges takes skill, and we possess the keen ability to do so
- We go into a courtroom commanding a sense of confidence and readiness
Read some of our client testimonials:
- “Knows what he’s doing!”
I appreciate the time and attention that Mr. Saleh put into my case. I hope I won’t be needing their services again in the future, but I would absolutely contact them again if I do.
– Jessica M
- “Very polite and communicative”
He responded back immediately, and was very polite and communicative the whole time!
– Savannah P
- “Best lawyer hands down!”
Very professional. He Genuinely cares. He listen to all our concerns and knows a lot.
– Mike
- “Amazing Attorney”
Amazing attorney who will fight to the end for justice! Thank you for all you do!
– Kelly
- “I felt very at ease with Mark representing me.”
I felt very at ease with Mark representing me and will definitely use him in the future.
– Terry H.
- “If you want to win, you want Mark Scheuerman and his team.”
If you want to win, you want Mark Scheuerman and his team.
– Anna O.
Why Should You Work with Our Estate Planning Law Firm?
Our approach at Scheuerman Law is founded on the principle that each client’s unique situation deserves a thorough understanding and customized strategy. We are here to answer your questions, demystify estate planning laws and obligations, and empower you with the knowledge you need to make informed decisions.
Ready to start the conversation about planning for your future? Schedule a free consultation with one of our Baltimore estate planning lawyers today by calling 443-888-2062.
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with an Experienced and Compassionate Estate Lawyer Today
In addition to representing clients in personal injury and criminal law, our law firm proudly represents clients looking after their estate planning needs. We understand that the estate planning process can be complicated and overwhelming. We want to remind you that you don’t need to go through the estate planning process alone. Whether you are drafting a will or going through fiduciary litigation, or everything in between, our legal team has the experience and compassion necessary to help you through these difficult days.
To learn more about the estate planning process and how we can assist you, please schedule a free consultation with our Baltimore, MD, law firm today. You can reach us at 443-888-2062.