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Greenberg Legal Group LLC

Call Now (410) 650-4242

Charles County Estate Planning And Administration Attorneys To Help You Through Orphans’ Court

A visit to the Orphans’ Court for probate in Charles County, Maryland, can be a drain in more ways than one. Prepare your estate, avoid it entirely, or get help navigating it with the help of an estate planning and administration attorney from the Greenberg Legal Group LLC.

Charles County’s Orphans’ Court may be found in a delightful and historic La Plata building, but few residents will enjoy any of what goes on there. For most, it is a tedious procedural formality, but for some, it can become an expensive nightmare of conflict. 

The Orphans’ Court, for those who have not yet had the pleasure, handles the necessary legal steps following someone's death required to pass on the property and other assets they owned. Whether these go too smoothly to specifically chosen loved ones, to a default relative, or end up being lost to costly legal battles depends on the quality of the deceased’s estate plan and the person chosen to administer the estate.

Fortunately, the worst of Orphans’ Court can often be avoided by working with experienced estate planning lawyers ahead of time and/or with a skilled estate administration attorney after the death. For both these roles, in Charles County, you can call upon the talented team at Greenberg Legal Group LLC for help.

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Call Now | (410) 650-4242

Why Is Orphans’ Court Difficult For Families In Charles County?

Robert Greenberg | Charles County Estate Planning And Administration Attorney

The Charles County District Court (where Orphans Court is held) in La Plata is not inherently an unpleasant place. The staff are friendly, the judges are efficient and even the parking is convenient. No, the problems and challenges come from the nature of each visit: dealing with the affairs and assets of the dead. On top of the emotional challenges and strains of losing a loved one, families now need to deal with bureaucracy and money, two infamously difficult and divisive burdens. 

Since a deceased person cannot own property, nor can they be around to transfer its ownership, the Orphans Court judge has to empower someone to do so, usually called a personal representative. This unfortunate soul then has to follow both the laws and the wishes of the deceased and wade through bureaucracy to close everything up and distribute those assets to creditors and beneficiaries. Assuming no estranged family members or unexpected creditors show up to derail the probate process. 

If the deceased family member left behind a will, then their wishes can be taken into account. However, their estate and their entire wealth of accumulated property and belongings still need to go through the probate process at the Orphans’ Court. If they did not leave a legal will, then their preferences won’t even come into play, and the court has to pass on those assets in a predetermined manner decided by Maryland laws. 

That said, the estate administration process can also be eased with the help of a skilled attorney. The challenges faced by your family in the Charles County Orphans’ Court can be dramatically reduced by working with an experienced estate planning lawyer to make sure your affairs are optimized for the process.

How Can An Estate Planning Lawyer Reduce The Burden Of Orphans’ Court?

As often in life, the best way to avoid a problem is to plan ahead. That is why estate planning is so crucial. By putting in a bit of time and effort ahead of time with a lawyer, you can establish essential estate planning documents like a will, powers of attorney, and even trusts. These will reduce the burden faced by your family in Charles County’s Orphans’ Court, or even bypass the need for one or more trips there entirely. 

By preparing your estate plan with a lawyer, you also reduce the risk of a challenge to its validity, sparing your family a long and expensive fight in the Orphans’ Court. You may also be able to better protect your family and loved ones with a personalized estate plan that is adapted to both your wishes and their needs. For example, special needs relatives may require a specific kind of trust if you want to leave any funds for their care without endangering their government benefits. 

Finally, with advanced estate planning tools and careful work with an attorney, you may be able to avoid the need for the Orphans’ Court entirely. If all your financial assets have automatic beneficiary transfers and clear designations, and none of your property is held under your name (by transferring ownership to trusts), you can eliminate the primary concern for that La Plata trip for Charles County families. 

Phone
Call Now | (410) 650-4242

Headed To Orphans’ Court In Charles County? Call An Estate Administration Lawyer Near You!

Sometimes, a relative will not have done any advanced estate planning, or by trying to do it on their own, they will have made things worse. Any family can easily end up in Charles County’s Orphans’ Court feeling lost or overwhelmed. When that happens, you should call the experienced and knowledgeable lawyers of the Greenberg Legal Group LLC. 

Robert Greenberg is an esteemed Maryland lawyer whose experience with delicate family law matters makes him an excellent choice for handling your estate planning. He even has a former Orphans’ Court Chief Judge on his team as a consultant to his firm, so you know when it comes to estate administration, you will be in excellent hands. 

To start planning your estate or get help with the administration of an estate in Charles County or anywhere else in Maryland, call (410) 650-4242 today or reach out online to the lawyers at the Greenberg Legal Group LLC today.

Phone
Call Now | (410) 650-4242
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