Estate Planning

Estate planning tools are available to help you outline your wishes, protect your assets and minimize the stress and strain on your loved ones.

At the Colbert Law Firm, we can help you create a comprehensive estate plan that meets your needs.

We can explain the various estate planning tools available to you and advise you on your options and help you develop a custom plan. We also assist clients with the probate process and estate administration, including estate litigation. Contact our law firm to discuss your probate and estate needs with a Maryland and Washington, D.C.  lawyer. From our office in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, estate planning attorney Janelle Ryan-Colbert represents clients in Washington, DC, Bowie, Temple Hills, Largo, Riverdale, Crofton, Waldorf, Clinton and throughout Prince George’s County, Anne Arundel County, Charles County, Baltimore, Howard County and the greater Washington, DC, metropolitan area.

We help clients create tailored estate plans using a variety of tools, including the following:

Wills ● Trust ● Probate ● Guardianship ● Advance Directives

Wills

With a will, you can determine who will inherit your property and how it will be distributed. You can also create a trust in your will so to provide support, care and asset protection after death

Trusts

There are trusts designed to meet all of your needs, including special needs trusts to provide for disabled loved ones, irrevocable life insurance trusts to minimize taxes and many other types. We can help you determine which trust will fit your situation

Living Wills and Advance Health Care Directives

An advance directive, sometimes known as a living will, can allow you to have a voice in your treatment if you become incapacitated.

Power of Attorney

You can have a power of attorney for health decisions or for financial decisions. This allows you to give an individual the power to make health or financial decisions on your behalf.

Guardianship for Adult Disabled Person

A guardian is a person who has the legal authority to care for the personal and/or property interests of another person, called a ward. Guardians are typically used on behalf of incapacitated persons or disabled adults.

While online forms exist for many estate planning documents, it is important to work with an experienced attorney to create your estate plan or review your documents. We can help you understand the types of documents you need and make sure that those documents accurately reflect your plans for your loved ones, your health and your assets. At Colbert Law Firm, we specialize in Maryland Wills, Trusts, Probate, Guardianship and Advance Directives.

Estate Administration and Probate; Termination/Challenges to Personal Representatives

In addition to help clients plan for the future, we also assist personal representative and trustees who need help administering an estate. The probate process can be complicated and time consuming. We can guide you through the process and help you with every stage of administering an estate. This includes helping clients with inventory of assets, accounting, creditor notices and payment of debts and distribution of assets. We also assist with will contest and actions against personal representatives who abuse or misuse their authority and compromise fiduciary duties owed to heirs and beneficiaries.  

If you have questions or concerns about estate planning in Maryland, we can help you. Contact attorney Janelle Ryan-Colbert to schedule a meeting today.