Maryland estate, elder, and probate law — explained.
Straight-talk guides for the moments families face: writing a will, planning for a nursing home, settling a loved one's estate, protecting a business. Read these before you need them — the choices are easier when you understand what's actually at stake.
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Archive — articles before 2025
← Back to recent articlesEstate Planning for the Single Parent
Single parents are both emotional and financial anchors — which makes estate planning especially important.
5 Common Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid
Five common estate planning mistakes — and how to avoid each one.
Should You Share Your Estate Planning Details With Loved Ones?
Whether — and how much — to share about your estate plan with your family.
Your Legacy: How Do You Want to Be Remembered?
A reflection on legacy — and why the way you plan today shapes how your family remembers you tomorrow.
Estate Planning Roll Call: Important Legal Tools You Should Have
A quick roll call of the legal tools that make up a complete estate plan — and what each one does.
Four Things Your Spouse Should Know Before You Die
Even the closest couples avoid the death conversation. Here are four things your spouse should know before you can't tell them.
Five Reasons Business Owners Need Estate Plans
Business owners are the heart of the company. Five reasons the business — and the family — need an estate plan.
Johnson Law Partners with Docubank
Johnson Law partners with Docubank to provide easy and secure access to healthcare and other emergency documents.
What Is Asset Protection Planning?
Asset protection planning isn't just for the wealthy — it's about shielding what you've built from lawsuits and creditors.
Understanding the Differences Between a Will and a Trust
Wills and trusts are both essential planning tools — and they serve very different purposes.
Estate Planning When You Have a Stepfamily
A blended family should be a source of joy — not an inheritance fight. Here's how to plan for it.
Avoid Disagreements Between Your Power of Attorney and Healthcare Proxy
Two documents. Two agents. One risk you can plan around before it happens.
Is It Better to Use Joint Ownership or a Trust to Pass Down a Home?
Joint ownership and revocable trusts both avoid probate — but only one avoids the traps.
Guns and Dementia: Dealing With a Loved One's Firearms
Firearms in the home of a loved one with dementia are a safety issue and a legal one. Plan ahead.
Costs of New Long-Term Care Insurance Policies Vary Considerably
Long-term care insurance premiums can vary by hundreds of percent for nearly identical coverage. Shop carefully.
Medicaid Home Care
Medicaid pays for long-term care at home in every state — Maryland included. Here's how it works.
Federal Guidelines Protecting Spouses of Medicaid Applicants
How the community spouse's resource and income allowances protect the at-home spouse when the other needs Medicaid.
Can You Put a Surveillance Camera in a Nursing Home Room?
Granny cams have real benefits — and real legal and privacy implications.
A Little-Known VA Benefit That Helps Pay for Assisted Living or In-Home Care
Most wartime veterans qualify for a VA pension benefit that can help cover assisted living or in-home care. Few know about it.
What Do Elder Law Attorneys Do?
Elder law is defined by the client we serve — and covers estate planning, Medicaid, and everything in between.
Using ABLE Accounts in Special Needs Planning
ABLE accounts let people with disabilities save without losing SSI or Medicaid eligibility — within limits.
Who Pays for Long-Term Care?
Around 70% of Americans over 65 will need long-term care. Very few know who is going to pay for it.
Top Ten Reasons to Have a Well-Drafted Power of Attorney
A comprehensive Durable Financial Power of Attorney is one of the most valuable — and most under-drafted — documents in an estate plan.
How Much Does a Typical Nursing Home Cost Per Year in Maryland?
Maryland nursing home costs — and why families need a plan to fund them.
Does Medicare Pay for Nursing Home Care?
Medicare does not pay for long-term nursing home care. Here's what actually does.