Provide protection and continuing care for your pet in your absence
Ensure that the Pet Owner and pet will remain together through the Owner’s disability
Eliminate any financial burdens placed on your Pet’s Caretaker
Enforces the Pet Owner’s instructions so that your pet is given attention, love, and devotion it deserves
Legally, Pets are classified as property, but to the Owner, they are best friends, companions and Family. Maryland recognizes Pet Trusts as legally enforceable arrangements between the Pet Owner and Care taker. A Pet Trust Secures the Future and Care of your Pet!
To learn more or get started on your estate plan, just schedule a time to visit us for a no obligation complimentary consultation.
Probate is a court procedure which transfers property the deceased owned into the hands of his/her descendants or beneficiaries.
Probate has two functions, it gets creditors paid and it gets property owned by the deceased retitled to the land of the living. It also gives relatives and friends the opportunity to bring suits against those who claim your property.
Probate can take anywhere from 6-18 months, it varies depending on the size and complication of the estate.
If the deceased person had a will, the probate process is still required and involves the court validating that will. In the old days when someone died, you would have to get someone else to say “Oh yes! That is John Smith’s signature”. This is not how it works now, if you have two witnesses and a notary it is presumed to be valid. After the court verifies the will, the person’s assets are then transferred to his/her beneficiaries.
If the deceased person had a revocable living trust in place and placed his/her assets into the trust, the assets will not have to go through the probate process and will be disbursed by the trustee according to the instructions of the trust, not under the law of the state of Maryland.
