Serves Prince George's, Howard, Montgomery and Anne Arundel counties from Main Street in Laurel. Handles Maryland probate and estate administration and helps successor trustees administer trusts, whether or not the firm drafted the trust, and assists trustees and beneficiaries in the probate court process. Tom Downs has limited his practice to estate planning, probate, trust administration and guardianship since 1995.
Probate in Anne Arundel County
Probate Court Record
Anne Arundel County Register of Wills
Anne Arundel County
Phone
Hours
Office
Website
Filing in person
Self-represented filing
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Anne Arundel County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Anne Arundel County? →Settling an estate in Anne Arundel County →
Guardianship Firms Serving Anne Arundel County
Serves Carroll County and surrounding counties from Westminster, near the Carroll County courts. Guides personal representatives through opening the estate, the inventory and valuation, sale of assets, payment of taxes and debts, and distribution, and handles disputes over wills, undue influence and breach of fiduciary duty, as well as guardianship of the person and of the property. Gary W. Desper is a former Assistant Attorney General for Maryland; the first 30 minutes of a consultation are free for new clients.
Serves Calvert, Charles, St. Mary's, Prince George's, Anne Arundel and Montgomery counties from Prince Frederick. Handles probate and estate and trust administration, including stalled administrations, disputed accountings and issues raised by the Register of Wills or Orphans' Court, plus will contests, trust contests, creditor-claim litigation and guardianship proceedings. George E. Meng has practiced since 1973 and is consulted by other attorneys and fiduciaries on difficult probate and trust matters.
Serves Prince George's County and six neighboring counties from Upper Marlboro, beside the county courthouse, with a Kensington office by appointment. Handles probate and trust administration, and litigates will contests, trust disputes, breach of fiduciary duty and guardianship disputes. Has practiced in Prince George's County since 1976.
Serves clients throughout Maryland from Potomac, with a second Maryland office in Baltimore. Its wills, trusts, estates and probate team handles probate court filings, estate administration and state and federal estate tax returns, and its attorneys serve as trustees and executors; a separate trusts and estates litigation group handles will and trust contests and breach of fiduciary duty claims.
All 8 Maryland guardianship firms serving Anne Arundel County →
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Maryland
Free Maryland forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for Maryland.
Last Will and Testament
In Maryland, a will is signed before 2Md. Est. & Trusts § 4-102Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and it is self-proved when properly executedMd. Est. & Trusts § 4-102Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Maryland requires 2Md. Health-General Code Ann. § 5-603Verified Oct 15, 2026View source witnesses for a healthcare power of attorney; notarization is not requiredMd. Health-General Code Ann. § 5-603Verified Oct 15, 2026View source.
Financial Power of Attorney
Maryland treats a power of attorney as durable by defaultMd. Code, Est. & Trusts §§ 17-101 to 17-116, §§ 17-201 to 17-204; Md. Code, Real Prop. § 4-107; Md. Code, Gen. Prov. § 1-401Verified Sep 18, 2026View source, and it is signed before 2Md. Code, Est. & Trusts §§ 17-101 to 17-116, §§ 17-201 to 17-204; Md. Code, Real Prop. § 4-107; Md. Code, Gen. Prov. § 1-401Verified Sep 18, 2026View source witnesses and a notary.
Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Maryland
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Maryland: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Maryland.
How Much Life Insurance Do I Need?
In Maryland, four years at a public university cost about $95,872NCES Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 330.20, public 4-year in-state tuition, fees, room and board, academic year 2022-23Verified Oct 17, 2026View source and the cost of living is near the U.S. averageBEA Regional Price Parities, all items, by state, 2024Verified Oct 17, 2026View source; the state levies an estate taxMd. Tax-Gen. § 7-309Verified Sep 15, 2026View source above $5,000,000Md. Tax-Gen. § 7-309Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?
An attorney-prepared revocable trust in Maryland runs $4,250Estimate: 10 hours at $425, Clio's Maryland Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $6,375Estimate: 15 hours at $425, Clio's Maryland Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source and a simple will $1,110Estimate: 3 hours at $370, Clio's Maryland Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $2,220Estimate: 6 hours at $370, Clio's Maryland Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.
Who Inherits Without a Will?
Without a will in Maryland, descendants divide what passes to them per stirpesMd. Code, Est. & Trusts § 3-103Verified Oct 21, 2026View source, and an heir must survive the decedent by 30 daysMd. Code, Est. & Trusts § 3-110(a)Verified Oct 21, 2026View source to inherit.
