There are several different taxes that can come into play when you transfer property, so it helps to know which you mean. Although some may recommend keeping title as-is and letting everything pass through probate, in my view the simplest and most cost-effective approach to easily transfer... View More

If the question is asking about how to transfer property titled in a deceased's name when they died, the only way to do this is by first opening up an estate and then by recording a Personal Representative's deed. No one can sign a dead person's name after they die.

If the... View More

As another attorney noted, all lawful debts need to be paid before assets get distributed to heirs. That said, Maryland law requires that debts be paid in a certain order before any of the heirs can inherit estate property. Some debts (for instance funeral bills and some medical bills), may have... View More

Generally speaking, wills valid in the state of original domicile remain valid if the planner moves. A will may become void in some cases of changed circumstances, such as if a planner both marries and has children after creating their will, but a valid will does not become "void" based... View More

People can jointly own property several ways. If married, they can own in Maryland as tenants by the entirety, joint tenants with rights of survivorship or as tenants in common. The way these types of co-ownership transfer at the death of one of the owners is very different. When a joint... View More

In figuring out who inherits, the law tends to only looks at who survived the Decedent AT THE MOMENT OF THEIR DEATH. The answer may vary a bit depending on whether the Decedent had a will or died without a will. (Wills commonly specify that someone needs to survive by a brief period, say 30 or... View More

A deed can be recorded anytime after it is signed, but how an unrecorded deed affects other people's rights in a particular piece of property depends on the specific facts of the situation. Very generally speaking someone who pays market rates for real estate and is unaware of any other deeds... View More

It is strongly advised to use an attorney to initiate foreclosure proceedings. Maryland law allows for reimbursement of the tax sale purchaser's attorney fees up to a specified dollar amount upon redemption, so nearly all of the time a certificate holder will use an attorney who can help... View More

Maryland law does not impose a "grace period" for late payments of rent, but you may wish to check the terms of a particular lease to see if there is a grace period before late fees begin to accrue. Generally speaking, rent is due on whatever date the lease says it is due and unless the... View More

Maryland employers should post in the workplace information about Workers Comp, but an injured employee can always contact the Workers Compensation Commission.

Alternatively, an injured employee can reach out to an attorney practicing in this area of law.

Maryland usury law is rather complicated and has all sorts of different rates of interest depending on the situation. For instance, the maximum legal rate of interest permissible for a Maryland loan might be 6%, 8%, 18% or 33% depending on the facts.

If after looking at the various... View More

You may wish to sit down and speak with an employment lawyer. Depending on the size of the employer and how long you worked there, laws like the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and laws preventing discrimination on basis of pregnancy may apply. An employment lawyer should be able to tell you... View More

In a word, "NO." A will does not avoid probate. A planner may have good reason to want to avoid the process and expense of probate (which typically involves costs to include a commission to the PR, newspaper publication, attorney fees and probate fee, though the probate fee is not... View More

There doesn't seem to be a question in this post.

If an old mortgage is paid off but not showing as "released" in the Land Records it would be necessary to straighten that out. Lenders should mail something called a Certificate of Satisfaction or Release once a loan is... View More

If there is no heat due to a malfunctioning heating system or something else in the Landlord's control, a tenant can petition in court for something called "Rent Escrow." Rent Escrow basically is designed for situations where some serious / dangerous problem threatens the health or... View More

An online post cannot give a detailed answer on the best steps to take in a particular situation. The law offers some protection, but it is not automatic.

Generally speaking, if an account is owned as TENANTS BY THE ENTIRETY, in most situations a judgment creditor of only one spouse... View More

As another attorney notes, the surviving co-owner (grandfather) would own 100% of the property if he owned it with his wife as tenants by the entirety.

A person's physical or mental state does not change their ownership of property. However, if the owner is no longer capable of... View More

While the law does not prohibit relatives from acting as a witness to a POA, best practice is to have the witnesses be disinterested non-relatives if possible.

The sales contract will usually match the deed. In other words, whoever is going to acquire the property should be identified. Sometimes acontract purchaser will just list their name "and/or assigns" as buyer so they can assign their interest to someone else. But typically if 2... View More

"Can" someone be sued for a claim based on a problem with real estate? Yes, people can be sued for all sorts of reasons. Some claims can be dismissed or resolved before they get to trial, other claims go to trial and the chances of winning or losing depends very heavily on the... View More