Cinema and television love to dramatize death. And what could be more dramatic than feuding family members sitting in suspense around a lawyer’s conference table about to learn the contents of the Will of the dearly departed? The Will is read out loud and all would learn…

Last year, BDBF attorneys revealed our favorite holiday movies. It sparked a lot of debate among our readers! So on an even more hot-button subject, this year we’ll reveal our favorite holiday songs! Jeremy Rachlin Just in case my rabbi is reading this, I feel…

Maryland voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that will significantly impact the litigation of personal injury cases in Maryland courts. The new law means that more personal injury cases will be tried more quickly and less expensively, without a jury. What is a jury demand?…

With a new year comes updated exemptions for estate tax exclusion and gift tax for 2023. What is the “estate tax exemption” and where is it going in 2023? The estate tax exemption is the amount of non-charitable bequests that can pass tax-free to someone…

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…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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…