Maryland Resources for Executors
The Old Line State
Maryland probate courts, executor forms, probate cost and executor fee calculators, and the agencies and banks to notify after a death.
Settle an estate in Maryland, step by step
A Maryland settlement plan lists each task in order, from the death certificate to the final distribution, with the Maryland deadlines and forms attached to each step.
Start the Maryland settlement plan →Maryland Probate and Settlement Rules
If you die without a will in Maryland, your heirs must survive you by at least 30 daysMd. Code, Est. & Trusts § 3-110(a)Verified Oct 21, 2026View source to inherit anything. This "survival period" exists to prevent property from passing through multiple estates in quick succession when family members die close together in time, such as in an accident.
Unlike states with formal independent administration statutes (such as California and Texas), Maryland doesn't offer a simplified procedure for executors to petition for reduced court oversight. However, executors typically have statutory authority to manage routine estate matters. For families looking to avoid probate court involvement entirely, a revocable living trust remains the most reliable option.
Maryland is one of a handful of states that impose both an estate tax and an inheritance tax. The estate tax applies to estates exceeding $5,000,000Md. Tax-Gen. § 7-309Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, with rates up to 16%Md. Tax-Gen. § 7-309Verified Sep 15, 2026View source. The inheritance tax is paid by each beneficiary based on their relationship to the deceased and the amount inherited. This double layer of taxation makes probate avoidance and lifetime gifting strategies particularly relevant here.
Maryland does not have a constitutional homestead exemption, which means the family home has limited protection from creditors compared to states like Texas or Florida. Executors must publish a notice to creditors, who then have 6 monthsMd. Est. & Trusts § 8-103Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to file claims against the estate. Known creditors must also receive direct written notice.
Legal Sources
Data sourced from Maryland statutes and official state code. How we research.
Find Your County’s Probate Court
An estate is opened in the probate court of the county where the person lived. Click on any county in Maryland for that court’s contact information, filing procedures, fees, and what to do when someone dies there.
All 24 Maryland counties
Maryland Estate Settlement Forms
Probate petition, notice to creditors, inventory, closing. Free for Maryland.
EIN Application
Get the tax ID number (EIN) banks require to open an estate account or trust account after someone dies.
IRS Form 56
Notify the IRS that you are the fiduciary of an estate, a trust or a person, or end a notice filed before, on the official form.
IRS Form 1310
Claim a refund due a deceased taxpayer on the official form, on the box the form routes you to, with what the form says to attach.
Petition for Probate and Letters
Open probate and ask the court to appoint you and issue Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
Notice to Creditors
Notify estate creditors and start the claim period — the published notice plus mailed copies for known creditors.
Renunciation of Executor
Decline an appointment as executor named in a will — the writing filed with the court before anyone is appointed.
Affidavit of Heirship
Prepare the sworn statement of a deceased person's family history and heirs for recording in the county land records, with your state's recording instructions.
Affidavit of Death
Put a joint owner's or a transfer on death deed owner's death on the land records with the affidavit your state's statute names, laid out for recording.
Small Estate Affidavit
Collect a small estate's property without probate — the sworn affidavit presented to banks and other holders, with a presentation letter for each.
Estate Inventory
Prepare the probate inventory of estate property — every asset at its date-of-death value, composed to your state's statute, with the state's filing or delivery instructions.
Estate Closing
Prepare the paperwork that closes the estate — the state's closing statement, petition for discharge, or final account, with the state's closing instructions and the optional federal forms.
Maryland Tools & Calculators
Probate cost, executor fees, creditor deadlines and more for Maryland.
Maryland Probate Attorneys
Find probate and estate administration attorneys by practice area in Maryland.
Government Agencies to Notify in Maryland
State-administered programs an executor handles after a death in Maryland.
Banks and Financial Institutions in Maryland
Banks, brokerages, and credit unions serving Maryland, each with its own death claim process.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Death of a Parent
A step-by-step guide to what happens after a parent dies: the documents to find, the certificates to order, and whether probate is even required.
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Loss of a Spouse
What a surviving spouse needs to do: death certificates, survivor benefits, whether probate is even required, and the tax election that expires.
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Named as Executor
What an executor actually does: getting appointed, notifying creditors, paying debts and taxes, and where personal liability starts.
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Named as Trustee
Being named trustee means managing trust assets and carrying out the grantor's wishes. Your duties, timeline, compensation, and how to get started.
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