Carroll County, MD Estate Administration Lawyer
Probate is a process by which the Maryland Register of Wills and Orphans’ Court oversees and protects an estate, determines the validity of the last will and testament if there is one, insures creditors are properly paid, and insures the beneficiaries receive what is entitled to them via the last will and testament or Maryland’s statutory intestacy provisions.
The Maryland Orphans’ Court is the state’s probate court. It also has jurisdiction over guardianships of minors. In simpler terms, the main job of the Orphans’ Court is to supervise the handling of estates of people who have died – with or without a Will – while owning property in their sole name. Click here for more information about Orphan's Court: What is it and what does it do?
When a person dies in Maryland, a personal representative is appointed by the Maryland Register of Wills and Orphans’ Court and is responsible for settling the affairs of the estate. The duties of the personal representative can be overwhelming during the emotionally difficult time of losing a loved one. I assist my clients in Carroll County, and all of Maryland in seeing that an estate is handled in a timely and cost efficient manner. I work closely with my clients through every step of the probate process, including:
- Preparing the documents for opening an estate
- Preparing the estate inventory and valuation of assets
- Managing the sale or liquidation of assets
- Paying taxes and debts of the estate
- Distributing remaining assets to the heirs
- Filing tax returns and other probate documents
It is not uncommon for emotionally charged disputes to arise during the probate process. I handle cases involving mistakes in wills, allegations of fraud, people exerting undue influence to obtain special treatment in the will, breach of fiduciary duty, people taking money from trusts improperly, people being left out of wills, and more.
Testimonials:
Working with Gary Desper and his staff at the difficult time after my husband's death was a very positive experience. I found them to be professional, caring, and thorough. The cost for all the services I needed was very reasonable, and I would highly recommend Mr. Desper to everyone.
---Juanita C.
Gary helped me settle my mother's estate, guiding me through the process while being sure that our interests were always number one. He is highly recommended, and a pleasure to work with.
---Bryan F.
My wife and I recently updated our estate planning and asked Gary to help. His office staff responded immediately with a convenient appointment. We found Gary to be extremely competent, personable and genuinely interested in our needs. He took the time to explain all of our options and answer questions about the issues surrounding estate planning. Although we had no prior experience with his firm, we selected him primarily because of the breadth of his practice and experience. We also wanted someone who was ethical and professional. Gary exceeded our expectations. His fee schedule is fair and competetive, so we feel we received a good value for our expense. There are many things you can figure out without much help, but "do it yourself" legal advice is not one of them. Gary Desper has become our choice in professional legal services.
---RLM
My husband and I went to Gary to have our wills drawn up. He and his secretary were very personable, approachable, and efficient. I would definitely recommend his services!
---Claudia D.
Getting a will is not something we want to do but Gary made the process so smooth and easy to understand. I highly recommend his services!
---Lynn O.
Gary is an excellent estate attorney! My first thought was that I didn't need an attorney to help close out an estate, but when some difficult issues arose, we enlisted Gary's services. He really knows the intricacies of estate law. There is no way we could have done it without him. He was on top of everything and really helped us through the process. Communication is open and easy. Gary went out of his way to come up with some unique solutions to some tricky problems with our situation. At a difficult time, when many are trying to take advantage of a loved one's death, Gary was truthful and extremely reasonable with his fees. Gary's assistant, Dawn, is also awesome and really just helped everything flow smoothly. With the professional, intelligent, and friendly manner in which Gary and Dawn managed our estate closure, I would strongly recommend his office to anyone.
---Jeff S.
"I highly recommend Gary Desper as an attorney - and this is why:
My siblings and I lost both parents within 3 weeks of each other. To say the least, we were completely at a loss as to what to do. My one brother had Gary as his attorney and suggested we use him because he considered him very trustworthy and knew he wouldn't take advantage of our situation.
I was appointed personal representative of the estate, however I live out of state, which made it difficult. No problem - Gary basically took me by hand and alleviated the problems I faced. The family had to deal with cleaning out a house and 2 car garage (this took months to do). Gary arranged for dumpsters to be delivered when needed. He also introduced us to a realtor who was able to sell the house without problems. He also took care of bill payments and arranging a CPA to take care of the yearly income taxes.
Needless to say I could go on and on with the excellent job Gary did for our family. He is extremely trustworthy, competent, and every aspect of his dealings with us was fully documented and distributed to each of us. Thanks again Gary for giving me and my family a peace of mind!"
---Nancy D.
"Gary has been helping my wife Sandy and I for the past (2) years on Estate Law and also with Court representation on a very personal matter. He literally saved us thousands. Gary is not just a good lawyer, he is a great lawyer. He is not only honest and knowledgeable – he goes the extra mile in explaining the Law so that the average person can understand it and weigh the best options. Without question, Sandy and I could not have gotten through these last 2 years without his guidance and committment. He is simply the best lawyer you will find in Maryland. Five stars plus five. Thanks Gary!"
---Pat & Sandy D.