How Maryland Probate Actually Works (Anne Arundel & Prince George's County)

When someone passes away in Maryland, their probate estate is administered by the Register of Wills for the county where they lived. Anne Arundel County's office is in Annapolis; Prince George's County's is in Upper Marlboro. Despite the shared statute, the two offices have different rhythms, different filing windows, and different unwritten norms — and knowing both matters.

Maryland uses two tracks: small estate (a simplified procedure available below a dollar threshold set by the legislature) and regular estate (everything else). Small estate is faster and cheaper. Regular estate involves a full inventory, creditor notice, an information report, an account, and a final distribution — typically nine to twelve months at a minimum.

The personal representative (sometimes still called the executor) is the person the will names — or, if there's no will, the person the statute appoints. Their job is to gather assets, pay debts and taxes, and distribute what remains. They are personally liable if they get it wrong.

Common surprises: Maryland charges an inheritance tax on bequests to non-lineal heirs (nieces, nephews, friends, partners) on top of any estate tax. Maryland also has its own estate tax that operates separately from the federal estate tax. The current thresholds change from time to time, so we walk personal representatives through how it applies to their estate during an introductory call. Assets held in a properly funded revocable living trust skip probate entirely, which is why so many families set them up.

If you've just been named personal representative, the most useful first step is an introductory call to map out the timeline, the filings, and the personal-liability traps. We use straightforward flat fees — no hourly billing, no surprise invoices.