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Maryland Elder Law Questions & Answers
2 Answers | Asked in Elder Law, Health Care Law, Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury for Maryland on
Q: If hospital and doctors fail to treat life threatening wounds, or address pain, is this elder neglect??

65 yr old man has open 8” wound at base of skull, due to Lyme disease w/ zero doctors and Johns Hopkins fail to address by not returning calls for follow up appt, life threatening worsening of this over several years and attempts to minimally address pain

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Jul 23, 2024

You could reach out to attorneys to try to arrange a free initial consult. For the matter of neglect, it does not sound like the hospitals or doctors were designated in a role of caretaker or similar capacity. The problem in such a phone setting that transpires over a course of years is that there... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Elder Law, Health Care Law, Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury for Maryland on
Q: If hospital and doctors fail to treat life threatening wounds, or address pain, is this elder neglect??

65 yr old man has open 8” wound at base of skull, due to Lyme disease w/ zero doctors and Johns Hopkins fail to address by not returning calls for follow up appt, life threatening worsening of this over several years and attempts to minimally address pain

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Jul 12, 2024

Typically, it is difficult to maintain an action for medical malpractice due to a patient's inability to schedule an appointment. In a true medical emergency, the patient should go to a local emergency room or call 911 for paramedics to assess and transport the patient to a hospital. It is... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Elder Law for Maryland on
Q: Are trust management services available and feasible for estates worth about $500,000?

I'm thinking about setting up a trust but don't know anyone I want to trust to be a trustee, so I'm looking for options. I've heard that trust management services are expensive and primarily for the wealthy. Would appreciate suggestions.

Cedulie Renee Laumann
Cedulie Renee Laumann
answered on Nov 30, 2023

This question comes up quite often.

Most of the time the person making the trust will be the initial trustee and designate others to serve after their death or incapacity. Whether hiring a professional trustee is feasible or not depends in part on how long you want/need trust oversight....
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1 Answer | Asked in Elder Law and Real Estate Law for Maryland on
Q: Query regarding seller protections, sale of home to "investors" like MarketPro, Open Door, Express Home Buyers, et al.

Maryland senior citizen hoping to receive some expert information regarding the regulations concerning such entities as MarketPro, as such a transaction may provide an escape route in my current dilemma that traditional realtors seem unable to offer. I have done some preliminary research, but have... View More

Thomas C. Valkenet
Thomas C. Valkenet
answered on Sep 5, 2023

Without a professional (lawyer or broker), you have very little protections. This type of entity preys on distressed sellers to scrape as much of the equity as is possible. They often ignore the consumer protection that is built into existing statutes and local ordinances by treating yours as a... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Elder Law for Maryland on
Q: My father in-law is an inpatient at a hospital. He is unable to care for himself. His wife is no longer capable

Of caring for him. He refuses to take his medication. His family has refused to bring him home. But the doctor for the social service department says that "he is fine to go home and we can't be responsible for stupid mistakes that people sometimes make." Meaning that it is a stupid... View More

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Mar 4, 2023

What you do not state is whether your father is mentally competent to make his own decisions, from a legal standpoint. The fact that "social services" (you do not name the government department by name, so it is unclear whom, exactly, you are referencing) deems him competent to go home... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Consumer Law, Collections and Elder Law for Maryland on
Q: A debt collector is attempting to collect a debt over 15 yo from my elderly parents who are MD. Is that possible?

By the way, I read that a debt collector per the State of MD cannot collect on a debt that is more than 3 years old. The debt is over $2,000 but they (Lake City Credit) will settle for $300.

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Jan 19, 2023

The statute of limitations for debts is 3 years, meaning a lawsuit must be filed within 3 years of the debt becoming due, or the debtor can move to dismiss the court action as beyond the statute (limitations is an "affirmative defense" that must be raised by the defendant or it is... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Elder Law and Public Benefits for Maryland on
Q: How do I properly spend down funds to keep ssi/medicaid?

Good Evening,

My mother who receives medicaid and SSI saved up assets due to the fact that she moved into subsidized housing which only charged her 200 a month for rent. She currently has about 10k saved up in her account which is over the asset limit and I'm trying to spend the money... View More

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Dec 25, 2022

You may find this article helpful, although it is a bit dated (2011) and laws change:

https://www.specialneedsalliance.org/the-voice/utilizing-the-spend-down-option-to-maintain-ssi-andor-medicaid-eligibility-2/

To clear the whole amount you might purchase a special bed for her, one...
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1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Elder Law for Maryland on
Q: What if a General Power of Attorney document was notarized but later found there were not two witnesses on the document?

My mother, now 98 years of age, submitted a General Power of Attorney form in 2013 and the bank officer notarized it. Now it is not accepted as Verification of Receipt of Benefits because it "does not explicitly authorize the attorney in fact to handle retirement transactions and additionally... View More

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Oct 10, 2022

Maryland law requires that any POA executed on or after October 1, 2010, be notarized and witnessed by two persons in the presence of each other and the principal of the POA. However, a Notary Public can act as one of the two witnesses, so you might argue that one witness plus the Notary is... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Elder Law for Maryland on
Q: My mother passed in March my sister in law was power of attorney until her passing mom had no will

No executor of her estate my brothers and I haven't spoken since her passing how do I find out if they filed her estate in probate court.

Scott Scherr
Scott Scherr
answered on Oct 4, 2022

I am sorry for your loss. You can check online here:

http://registers.maryland.gov/main/search.html

1 Answer | Asked in Elder Law and Estate Planning for Maryland on
Q: A relative of my elderly mother is trustee. He has been using funds personally but says she will run out of money.

He is a very ruthless attorney but presents well. He has been unresponsive to her care team and myself for replacement hearing aid at one point (which I had to fight for), he is not authorizing additional care for a fractured elbow and has instead suggested things like giving her sleeping pills,... View More

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Sep 8, 2022

Why is there a trust? Who created the trust? How was the trustee appointed? Is this a court appointed guardian as opposed to a private trustee? What is your evidence supporting your claims that the attorney and his family have taken funds for their personal use? (If this is true that is a crime--a... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Health Care Law and Elder Law for Maryland on
Q: For medicaid payments for my dad, can my disability be used shelter his savings? Where can I find written info?

My dad's in his late 80's in NY. If he needs medicaid to pay his care, can my disability (I'm on SSDI), age 60 in MD) be used to pass his savings to me, so our family can keep it? Is it just an exemption for a house or for other assets too?

Where can I find the gov'ts... View More

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Aug 25, 2022

Your father would need to seek out an elder care lawyer to map out a strategy to protect his assets from counting towards Medicaid eligibility. Your disability is irrelevant and will not shelter his assets. He would need to get his assets out of his name five years before applying for Medicaid if... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Elder Law for Maryland on
Q: Do i have to respond to a discovery request while im in the middle of switching lawyers
Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on May 17, 2022

The procedural rules do not have an exception in their time deadlines for switching lawyers. Written discovery responses are due 30 days after service of them upon you. That said, the discovery deadlines in most cases in circuit court can encompass a 4-6 month range, and it is common for parties... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Elder Law for Maryland on
Q: My sister is a personal guardian appointed by the court for an elderly with dementia- however she is also advancing age

She wants to be relieved from the guardianship - how do you go about it?

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Apr 26, 2022

She files a petition to resign, preferably simultaneously with another appropriate person petitioning to take her place, with the agreement of all other "interested persons" entitled to act as guardian under the statute. If there is no such person, then the court will have to appoint... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Elder Law and Probate for Maryland on
Q: Funeral expenses are paid shortly after a X's death by Y who is not beneficiary or administator. Can

Y, who is not a beneficiary or administrator, claim as a creditor against estate?

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Feb 1, 2022

Yes, Y is a creditor of the estate and may file a claim for funeral expenses paid. Y should submit a formal claim together with the invoices/receits showing the amounts incurred. If the Personal Representatve fails to pay or denies all or part of the claim, Y can petition to court to order the PR... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Elder Law and Gov & Administrative Law for Maryland on
Q: I failed the road test 3 times in Maryland Driver Re-examination. How can I get another road test?

I am 96-yr old but physically and mentally healthy, supported by medical report. I was referred by police for Mayland Driver Re-examination and unfortunately failed the driving test 3 times. My driver license was confiscated at the 1st failure. My request for the 4th driving test was denied. I... View More

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Jan 8, 2022

A driving test failure is a driving test failure. How do you propose overturning the determination on appeal that you failed the test? Just saying that in your opinion you can drive safely will not be enough. The Administrative Law Judge, and ultimately if you pursue it further, a Circuit Court... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law, Elder Law and Health Care Law for Maryland on
Q: I'm being accused of elderly abuse of my mother, only because I will no send thousands of dollars out for free. What now

He husband passed Oct 16, 2021 Now he's gone, I'm the bad one because I won't send 20,000 dollars immediately after his passing

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Nov 4, 2021

If you are being charged with a crime by the police or prosecuting authorities of the state, hire a criminal defense lawyer. If some family member or other person is just accusing you of elder abuse but is not an authorized representative of the State or local government having authority over... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Elder Law for Maryland on
Q: What if my husband is in a facility

What if my husband is in a facility

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Sep 25, 2021

You need to be more specific as to what your concern or issue is. What about your husband being in a "facility" (medical facility? prison? mental health hospital?) causes you to need advice about what to do?

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Elder Law for Maryland on
Q: Hi. For three years I moved into my mom's house and took care of her. Wondering what my rights are as one of four.

I have no expectations as one of the four children that I have sole right to the property and estate. What I am wondering is, because I am very low income, part of which is due to health issues, how much notice do I have a right to receive before they try and sell the house. For what we're... View More

Cedulie Renee Laumann
Cedulie Renee Laumann
answered on Aug 5, 2021

Once someone passes away, their property becomes a part of their probate estate. Property in the name of someone who died cannot be sold until an estate is opened and someone is appointed as Personal Representative of the estate. Your post does not indicate whether an estate has been opened or... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Real Estate Law and Elder Law for Maryland on
Q: My Dad died in Jan 2021 & owned a home in MD, with no estate. No other accounts or income.

From reading, I don't need to file income or estate taxes. I'm confused on the capital gains. Please help. Thank you!

Theodore David Vicknair Sr.
Theodore David Vicknair Sr.
answered on Jul 29, 2021

Under federal income tax law, the tax basis of your father is "stepped up" to fair market value on his date of death. That is the basis you would use to determine capital gains, if any.

So for example, if you dad purchased his house for $75K in 1995, and when he died in January...
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1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Elder Law for Maryland on
Q: I have a joint account with my father, he is requiring nursing home stay, can they deplete the account?

I was just informed that the c0-pay for the nursing home will be $170 per day. We have about $8000 in the account. Can they take all the money in the account?

Mark Oakley
Mark Oakley
answered on Apr 22, 2021

Depends on the original source of the money, and when your name was put on the account. I assume your father needs to qualify for Medicaid to pay the nursing home care, and to do so Medicaid requires that your father use his own assets until he has paid down to the level necessary to receive... View More

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