Category: Estates and Trusts
At Bulman Dunie, we regularly assist folks implementing a loved one’s estate plan after the loved one becomes ill or passes away. Here are three common mistakes that we have observed are made with some degree of frequency – and how you can avoid them!…
The 2026 legislative session has ended in Annapolis. There are several new laws coming to Maryland governing estates and trusts that you should know about and perhaps take action! Most Importantly, There Was No Change To Maryland Estate Tax In the face of a bleak…
One of the most common questions we are asked by estate planning clients is what would happen to their documents should they relocate to another state. What should you know about moving to a different state as pertains to your estate plan? And when we…
MOST Form. Living Will. Health Care Power of Attorney. Advance Directive. We hear about them. We know someday we might need them. But how do they work? Do I need one of them? Some of them? All of them? The Living Will A Living Will…
Life insurance is an essential financial planning tool for families. Term life insurance, with policy limits sufficient to pay off a mortgage and fund educational expenses, can often be purchased at a low cost, and provide coverage for several decades. If you already own life…
Clients often come to an initial consultation with preconceived notions of whether they would like to include a “living trust” as part of their estate plan. For those unfamiliar, a living trust is a trust instrument created by an individual (the “Settlor”). The Settlor then…
As we close the book on 2025 and look ahead to 2026, we are on substantially firmer territory than we were at this same time last year when it comes to the federal estate tax. In our local jurisdictions (MD and DC), in December 2024,…
Congratulations! You’ve made it to an estate planning attorney and crossed off that item that has been lagging on your to-do list forever. Your estate planning documents are in order. But now that you have this envelope full of freshly signed documents, which you mostly…
A common misperception of estate planning clients is that estate planning is a “once-and-done” proposition. The reality is, once you overcome the initial inertia and create an estate plan, every estate planning attorney will recommend you review your estate plan every few years to consider…
Recently, we heard from a former client who had a harrowing tale to share. The Sad But True Story Our client’s elderly Father was found unresponsive on the floor of his home by his caregiver. The caregiver immediately called EMS. The caregiver’s next call was…
