Stouffer Legal Blog - Estate and Elder Law in Towson, Maryland

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How Religious Beliefs Impact Estate Planning

Both the Christian Bible and the Quran, the Islamic sacred book, believed to be the word of God as dictated to Muhammad by the archangel Gabriel and written down in Arabic, contain instructions for how inheritances should be handled.

August 16, 2021

Trust Trend: Making Heirs Wait for Inheritances

Many Maryland residents intentionally delay their future heirs from inheriting. This trend is consistent with many other states around the country. This delay is accomplished through the use of trusts which require heirs to attain a certain age and even then many of the assets are distributed in increments over a period of time.

August 16, 2021

21st Century Cures Act Mandates Health Care Providers to Share Clinical Notes

While the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, commonly known as HIPAA, still governs the sharing of medical information to protect patients’ privacy, the newly passed 21st Century Cures Act now requires 8 new types of clinical notes to be provided to patients and approved persons under HIPAA.

August 13, 2021

Memory Care Innovations

Within the next 20 years, the need for memory care housing options will become more necessary than ever. In 2016 alone, more than 2.5 million Baby Boomers turned 70 years old, the youngest boomers hitting age 52.

August 12, 2021

Understanding the Terminology Used in Estate Administration

When someone in Maryland passes away, the person’s estate must be administered in the probate court. The term “administrative probate” refers to the process of opening an estate file, appointing a personal representative to administer the estate according to a will or according to Maryland’s laws of intestate succession if the person died without a will or trust.

August 11, 2021

What to Do If You Lost the Original Will

Maybe you have searched everywhere you can possibly think to look for your loved one’s original Last Will and Testament. Maybe it burned in a house fire. Or someone accidently threw it away.

August 9, 2021

Is Aging in Place the Best Option?

The vast majority of seniors asked about their future living arrangements answer that they prefer the option to stay in their home, known as aging in place. The reasons behind this preference often include familiarity, fear of institutions and concerns about finances.

August 6, 2021

Is It Necessary to Trade Your Home for Nursing Home Care?

If you don’t plan or have a bad plan it may be necessary to sell your home if your spouse requires nursing home care but that may not be the only option, according to the Boston Globe article “Seniors have more options than selling their home.”

August 5, 2021

Can You Include Suicide Assistance Provisions in Your Estate Plan?

Many terminally ill patients suffer for weeks, even months, as their diseases riddle their bodies useless and fill them with physical pain and emotional suffering. Watching someone endure a slow, painful death may provoke inquiries about preventing those circumstances by including terms in an Advance Directive about assisted suicide.

August 4, 2021

How Bankruptcy Impacts Estate Planning

There are two ways that bankruptcy impacts an estate plan – 1) when someone files bankruptcy and passes away while the proceedings are still in progress, and 2) when someone inherits assets while in the middle of filing for bankruptcy. The type of bankruptcy filed – Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 – determines how the bankruptcy issues intersect the estate planning issues.

August 2, 2021

We are a local Estate Planning firm helping Maryland families plan ahead before a crisis happens. Creating Wills and Trusts by learning your unique story. A sound Estate Plan helps to protect and preserve assets during disability, incapacity, and at death. It may also minimize tax exposure and encourages families to plan inheritance during life and outside of the courts.

Office Address:

658 Kenilworth Drive, Suite 203
Towson, MD 21204

Phone: (443) 470-3599

E-mail : office@stoufferlegal.com

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