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Maryland Estate Planning Resources
In-depth guides covering Maryland probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.
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In-depth guides covering Maryland probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.
Free Maryland last will form. 2 witnesses. Name beneficiaries, guardians, and executor. Download PDF, print, and sign.
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This information identifies you as the person making this will. It also determines your state's specific execution requirements.
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NOT LEGAL ADVICE:This document was created entirely based on your selections. SimplyTrust does not review, analyze, or verify your entries, nor do we verify your identity, capacity, or authority to act. You are solely responsible for determining whether this document meets your needs and for completing all required execution formalities (signatures, witnesses, notarization, or recording) in accordance with your state's laws. For any legal questions, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Maryland requires 2 adult witnesses present when the testator signs.Md. Est. & Trusts § 4-102Verified May 14, 2026 Witnesses must be 18 or older. Maryland allows interested witnesses (beneficiaries), though most families use disinterested witnesses.
Notarization is not required for a valid will in Maryland.Md. Est. & Trusts § 4-102Verified May 14, 2026 If properly executed with all required formalities, the will is considered self-proving.
No, Maryland does not recognize holographic (handwritten) wills.Md. Est. & Trusts § 4-102Verified May 14, 2026 Your will must be typed or printed and signed in the presence of the required witnesses. A handwritten document will not be accepted by a Maryland probate court.
A will does not avoid probate — it goes through the Maryland probate court for validation and asset distribution. Simple estates typically take 6-9 months.Md. Est. & Trusts § 4-102Verified May 14, 2026 Estates valued under $50,000 may qualify for a Petition for Administration of Small Estate, which is faster than full probate. Use the probate cost calculator to estimate what probate would cost in Maryland.
Without a will, Maryland intestacy laws determine who inherits. The surviving spouse and children typically receive priority, but the specific shares depend on family structure. Unmarried partners, stepchildren, and friends receive nothing. See exactly how Maryland divides assets with the Maryland inheritance calculator.
Maryland supports remote online notarization (RON) for wills.Md. Code State Govt. § 18-214 The self-proving affidavit can be notarized via video call with an approved RON provider, so you don't need to visit a notary in person. The will itself still needs to be signed and witnessed.
A will distributes assets through probate court — public, slower, and carries the state-specific costs you can see on the probate calculator. A revocable living trust skips probate, keeps the estate private, and lets your family receive assets faster. If avoiding probate matters to you, you can create a revocable trust instead of, or alongside, this will.
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