What Do I Do When Someone Dies in Maryland?
A step-by-step checklist for the days, weeks, and months after a death, with the state's rules, deadlines, fees, and official forms noted on the steps they apply to. Free PDF.
Frequently Asked Questions
Request 10-15 certified copies from the funeral home or state vital records office. You will need these for banks, insurance companies, government agencies, and other institutions. Each institution typically requires an original certified copy. Order from Maryland Department of Health - Division of Vital Records. Fee: $10/copy ($12 additional). Available: online, mail, in-person. Processing: 6 weeks for mail orders (temporarily increased).
State law sets the order of who has the legal right to decide burial, cremation, or other disposition. A written pre-need designation by the deceased, if one exists, controls. Confirm who holds this authority before arrangements are made. State law sets the order of who controls disposition of remains. Order: Person designated on DD Form 93 (military Record of Emergency Data) as authorized to direct disposition, if the decedent executed one (§ 5-509(c)(1)(i)); then Person designated as authorizing agent in a valid document executed by the decedent (§ 5-509(c)(1)(ii)); then Surviving spouse or domestic partner of the decedent (§ 5-509(c)(2)(i)); then others in statutory order. A written pre-need designation by the deceased, if one exists, controls over this order.
Evaluate whether the estate qualifies for small estate procedures or if full probate is required based on asset values and types. Small estate affidavit available for estates under $50,000. Informal (unsupervised) probate available.
Submit the original will (if any) and petition to open probate. You will need to pay filing fees and may need to post a bond. Statewide form: RW1112 (Petition for Administration). File with the Register of Wills (administrative probate); Orphans' Court (judicial / contested probate). Filing fees vary by estate value. Informal probate available. Typical duration: 9-24 months.
Once appointed by the court, obtain letters testamentary (with will) or letters of administration (without will). These prove your authority. Letters of Administration are issued by the Register of Wills (after administrative probate; or after the Orphans’ Court rules in judicial probate). The state's title for the role is Personal Representative. Typically filed with the petition: Proof of death: a death certificate (original or copy); other proof of death if a death certificate is not yet available; Original will and any codicils, if any (filed with the petition); Schedule A (RW1136) for a regular estate; Schedule B (RW1137) for a small estate; List of Interested Persons (RW1104), naming the heirs and legatees with addresses — due no later than 20 days after appointment (Est. & Trusts § 7-104); local offices commonly take it with the petition; Consent to Appointment of Personal Representative (RW1118) from interested persons with equal or higher priority, if the petitioner is not the named/highest-priority person (Est. & Trusts § 5-104); Appointment of Resident Agent (RW1106) if the personal representative resides outside Maryland; Bond unless expressly excused by the will or by written waiver of all interested persons on a Waiver of Bond (RW1117) (Est. & Trusts § 6-102); in a REGULAR estate either a Nominal Bond (RW1116) or a Personal Representative Bond (RW1115) is required in every case.
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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.
Learn more
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.
Learn more
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.
Learn moreMore tools for handling this estate
Calculators and checklists for executors and trustees.
Petition for Probate and Letters
Prepare the application to open probate and request Letters Testamentary or of Administration.
Notice to Creditors
Prepare the creditor notice for an estate — the official state form or a notice typeset to statute, plus mailed notices for known creditors.
Small Estate Affidavit
Prepare the affidavit that collects a small estate's property without probate — the official state form or an affidavit drafted to statute, plus a presentation letter for each holder.
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.
Letter of Instruction
Prepare the letter of instruction a bank or insurer requests during estate settlement.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Estimate attorney fees, executor fees, court costs, and timeline for probating an estate in your state. See if the estate qualifies for simplified probate procedures.
How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Calculate how much an executor (personal representative) can charge for administering an estate. See if your state has statutory fees or uses reasonable compensation.
Who Inherits Without a Will?
Find out who inherits your estate and how much they get if you die without a will. Based on your state's intestate succession laws.
What's Fair Trustee Compensation?
Find out what's fair compensation for serving as trustee. Compare family, professional, and corporate trustee rates based on your situation.
How Much Are Estate & Inheritance Taxes?
Calculate federal estate tax, state estate tax (12 states + DC), and inheritance tax (5 states) for an estate or trust.
How Many Death Certificates Do I Need?
Calculate how many certified death certificates you need based on the assets and accounts you need to close. See state-specific ordering information.
Maryland Estate Planning Resources
In-depth guides covering Maryland probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.
