BDBF News and Legal Updates

Maryland’s “Statute Against Financial Exploitation Act” (SAFE) was enacted in October 2021. In the past year, it has proven to be a valuable additional layer of protection for Maryland seniors. What gave rise to the SAFE Act? Troublingly, in recent years, there have been growing numbers of seniors targeted for financial exploitation. Some seniors were...

Clients and friends of BDBF are accustomed to seeing us in our professional garb.  But that doesn’t mean we don’t love Halloween! It’s time to see a different side of your BDBF attorneys.  Here are our favorite (PG-rated) Halloween costumes of all time! Liz Farley My fiancé and I dressed up as a Target employee and Target...

October 1 is the date when the majority of laws enacted by the Maryland legislature during the preceding session take effect. While the 2022 legislative session wasn’t as busy of a legislative session as 2021 as far as the estate and trust world is concerned, there are a few new interesting Maryland laws which may...

In the last few weeks, parents across the country have navigated an emotional and logistical whirlwind.  Sometimes tear-filled, often stressful, we’re talking about moving your kids into college. Parents almost always remember the dorm essentials – laptop, sheets, mini-fridge, storage cubes, desk lamp, whiteboard, and decorations. Often lost in the process is the realization that...

Much like students returning to the first day of school, standing up one-by-one, and telling tales of summer travel to classmates, BDBF attorneys present “how we spent our summer vacation”. Dan Shaivitz This summer my family took a trip to southern California and, as part of our tour of the Pacific coast, we visited San...

Estate planning clients often engage us along with their spouses. Even though each spouse signs their own will, they often coordinate their documents with one another after a major life event, such as a marriage, birth of a child, or emancipation of grown children.  These clients feel great relief as they leave their signing appointment. ...

As our clients age,  they increasingly rely upon the assistance of others for financial matters.  Our clients often want to formalize this relationship to ensure that the bank or retirement plan custodian will recognize the authority of a trusted friend or family member to give instructions.  When and how should clients consider taking this significant...