Dealing with the loss of health or death of a loved one can be difficult enough without having to worry about the distribution of their assets. By putting a comprehensive estate plan in place, you eliminate much of the stress that accompanies the distribution of assets and the decision process. I will construct an estate plan that ensures that your assets are distributed according to your wishes and that minimizes the tax burden on your estate.
If you die without a will, the transfer of your assets will be governed by statute and the State of Maryland will impose its will for you.
In addition to a will, your estate plan may include a Life Estate Deed, a trust, guardianship plans for minors or disabled, HIPAA authorizations and releases, healthcare directives, provisions for beloved pets, powers of attorney, and more.
Customized Estate Plans: Simple to Complex
There are a variety of ways to set up an estate plan. Once I understand your particular circumstances, I will review the pros and cons of the different options, draft the necessary documents and assist you in implementing your customized estate plan, including:
- New Wills - Simple and complex wills prepared
- Will preparation / filing of the will (more info)
- Updates to an existing will
- Life Estate deeds with powers and without powers
- Powers of attorney
- Revocable and irrevocable trusts
- Guardianship for minor children or disabled family members
- Healthcare directives (living wills) to physicians and families
- HIPAA releases and authorizations
- Implementation of various estate tax and asset protection strategies
- Planning for second marriages and non-joint children
- Planning for special needs children
Guardianship Provisions in a Will
Including a guardianship provision in your will is one of the best things a parent can do for their child(ren). If something happens to you and your spouse, you don't want to let the courts decide who will become the guardian of your child(ren). The courts don't personally know your child(ren) or extended family members like you do..
This can be a hard decision so it is important that you make a guardian provision for your child.
Review and Update of Existing Wills
Once you have a will, you need to review it periodically and may need to make updates for major life events such as:
- Death of a spouse or child
- Marriage
- Divorce
- Birth or adoption of children
- Buying or selling large assets such as a home or business
- Moving to another state
Testimonials:
Gary Desper and his associates are top notch! They helped my parents get organized with their estate and wills. They also did power of attorneys for their finances and healthcare. Best part is that they will come to you! I would highly recommend the Desper Law group for all of your Elder Law needs.
--- Gary C.
My husband and I were looking for an attorney's office who would draft a will for us in a timely and cost-effective manner. We decided to give Gary Desper's office a try because the testimonials on their website were positive and glowing. I can't say enough how grateful we are for their services! From the beginning, the conversation with their executive assistant, Michelle, was easy and comfortable. Sitting down with Gary for our will interview was informative and helpful! We really appreciated his thought process in guiding us to make the best decisions for ourselves and our family. The price for everything was exactly what we were looking for and is less expensive than most other firms in the area. (Believe me, I called around and checked!) After the will interview, he drafted up the documents quickly and we were given time to review them and change anything that we wanted to. We had clarifying questions that were answered right away. The will signing day was a happy one, with the comfort and peace of mind in knowing that we're doing what Gary would say is "the best gift you can give to yourselves", and it truly is! Gary Desper and his team felt like family to us, and that's how a business should be run. Look no further than this office!
--- Chiara B.
Writing a will and putting ones affairs in order is never really a pleasant activity. Mr. Desper and his staff made this process smooth and comfortable. Mr. Desper was incredibly patient with us throughout the process. He was compassionate and took his time to explain everything. He was attentive to our needs and listened carefully to what we wanted. He guided us through the process beautifully. We highly recommend Mr. Desper and his staff for any legal work you require when putting your affairs in order. Thank you Mr. Desper and staff.
--- Jane L.
We recently had the pleasure of working with Desper Law Offices on a Will & POA package for my ailing Mother In Law. Mr Desper and his team were kind, knowledgeable and incredibly patient as we navigated the process. With just one consultation, Mr Desper captured my MIL’s wishes and presented us with a draft in a matter of days. Review and approval was equally efficient and we completed the process within 3 weeks of reaching out to seek help.
When Mom passed away, Gary handled settling her estate for us, including the sale of a house with help from an excellent realtor he works with. Again, his team was professional, knowledgeable and kind and helped make a difficult process easy for the family.
I would highly recommend Desper Law Offices. Mr Desper and his team are simply the best!
--- Angela M.
Mr Desper and his staff were amazing! Great advice with a great outcome! His office handled both my divorce and will! I couldn’t be more pleased with the services I received! I highly recommend this law firm!!! Top notch hands down!
--- Linay Z.
Gary was very knowledgeable and made preparing our wills a breeze. We enjoyed working with his whole office and we would definitely recommend his office.
--- Jeff S.
Gary Desper was very thorough and knowledgeable in updating our Wills, Healthcare Agents and Financial Power of Attorney. Both he and his staff were very helpful, friendly and accommodating. He explained all the terminology as well as presenting all our options. We would recommend his office to our family and friends.
--- Thank you, Terri and James L.
We recently had the pleasure of working with Desper Law Offices on a Will & POA package for my ailing Mother In Law. Mr Desper and his team were kind, knowledgeable and incredibly patient as we navigated the process. With just one consultation, Mr Desper captured my MIL’s wishes and presented us with a draft in a matter of days. Review and approval was equally efficient and we completed the process within 3 weeks of reaching out to seek help. I would highly recommend Desper Law Offices. Mr Desper and his team are professional, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with!
---Angela M.
Mr. Desper was an amazing lawyer to work with through the unexpected death and unplanned estate of my father. He was patient, kind, and sympathetic to us in dealing with our situation. I would refer anyone in Maryland seeking legal counsel to him, especially for estate planning! His office is responsive, easy to work with, and always friendly. Thank you for making this tragic event a bit easier for us while we were dealing with grief and settling the estate.
---Johanna P.
I needed a lawyer to help me create a Will and wanted someone local. I chose Gary Despar and have never been happier. He took his time walking me through the steps of creating a Will and answered all of my questions. Within 2 weeks all of the paperwork was completed.
---Carol G.
My husband and I were extremely pleased with Gary’s services. He was very helpful and knowledgeable in answering our questions concerning our wills. He explained the law to us in layman’s terms so it was easy to understand, and he also explained aspects of the law that were specific to our circumstances. Gary was very personable and made this a pleasant experience.
---Darlene S.
I did my estate planning with Mr. Desper, and he also updated my deed to add my wife. The process was very professional, and I felt that I was in good hands throughout. Some of the choices that go into estate planning are extremely significant, and Mr. Desper provided the legal background to make it easier to understand the ramifications of the decisions. I found Mr. Desper to be very warm and personable, and he was very patient and willing to answer any questions that my wife and I had. Also, his assistant Dawn was very nice, professional, and responsive. I highly recommend Mr. Desper and plan to continue using his professional services in the future.
---Jim F.
Mr Desper was very professional and patient with my 80 yr old mother who recently had a stroke and has difficulty speaking . He explained everything that we needed to understand in order to obtain a power of attorney and advanced directives . He is also one of a few attorneys in the Maryland area that participates in the Over 60 program that allowed my mother to get the documents she needed with an affordable rate since she is on a small fixed income . Thanks Mr Desper and Dawn for your great customer service.
---Debbie K.
My wife and I used Gary Desper's Law services to complete all of our "Final Documents". Gary answered all our questions and concerns in a professional manner. We were very satisfied with the results and personal service. We would recommend Gary Desper's Law firm for any legal services you might need.
---Jim and Gail
"I hired Gary Desper to prepare my will and associated documents. I was very pleased with the whole experience. Mr. Desper and his staff were very professional but at the same time personal and friendly. He took the time to patiently answer my many questions and to clearly explain different options and to make recommendations. I highly recommend him."
---James F.
"We had the great pleasure of working with Gary Desper on our wills, health care agents, and POA. Gary was very warm and engaging, and answered all of our questions. He made the legalities easy to understand, and we were very comfortable with him. We feel like we made a friend, along with finding a very capable attorney. His assistant Dawn was a pleasure to deal with, as well. I will be recommending Gary to our local friends here in Westminster. He is certainly an asset to our community."
---Wendy C.
"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."
---RL Miller
"We just completed our wills and other necessary legal decisions with Gary Desper. We so appreciated his affable personality as he fully explained legalities in ways that we grasped quickly and answered all our questions.
The support staff is there to serve the clients as well. Everyone is congenial, efficient, and made this process very positive. Gary provided excellent service in guiding us to make safe and beneficial decisions. Bravo! and thank you very much!"
---Lisa and Walt, Sykesville
"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.
"My husband and I recently had Gary write our wills and living wills (including guardianship wishes). He also added my name to the deed to our house (my husband purchased the house while we were still dating). He was very friendly and easy to talk to. We were looking for an experienced lawyer who wasn't too old or stuffy that we would be able to use now and in the future, if needed. Gary definitely fit this to a t. He not only was able to do the legal paperwork, but he was a pleasure to work with and even helped explain legal terminology I didn't understand without being condescending like some lawyers. I would recommend Gary to anyone looking for a down to earth lawyer who knows what he's doing!!"
---Sharon W.
"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.
READ MORE TESTIMONIALS . . .
Attorney Estate Planning & Administration: Areas We Serve
Carroll County Attorney Services Wills, Estate Planning, Estate Administration, Probate
Carroll County Estate Attorney Serving: Alesia, Carrollton, Carrolltowne (21784), Detour, Eldersburg (21784), Finksburg (21048), Frizzelburg (21158), Gamber (21048), Gaither, Greenmount, Hampstead (21074), Harney, Henryton, Jasontown, Keymar, Lineboro, Linwood, Louisville, Manchester (21102), Marriottsville (21104), Middleburg, Millers, Mount Airy (21771), New Windsor (21776), Sykesville (21784), Taneytown (21787), Union Bridge (21791), Uniontown, Westminster (21157, 21158), and Woodbine (21797).
Baltimore County Attorney Services Estate Planning, Wills, Estate Administration, Probate
Baltimore County Estate Attorney Serving: Catonsville (21228), Cockeysville (21030), Glyndon (21071), Granite (21163), Homeland (21212), Lutherville (21093), Milford Mill (21244), Monkton (21111), Mount Washington (21209), Owings Mills (21117), Parkton (21120), Phoenix (21131), Pikesville (21208), Randallstown (21133), Reisterstown (21136), Roland Park (21210), Ruxton (21204), Timonium (21093), Towson (21204, 21252, 21284, 21285, 21286), Upperco (21155), and Woodstock (21163).
Frederick County Attorney Services Estate Planning & Administration
Frederick County Estate Attorney Serving: Adamstown (21710), Ballenger Creek (21703), Bartonsville (21704), Bonosboro, Braddock Heights (21714), Brunswick (21716), Buckeystown (21717), Burkittsville (21718), Clover Hill (21702), Discovery (21793), Emmitsburg (21727), Frederick, Graceham (21788), Green Valley (21770), Hasonville, Ijamsville (21754), Jefferson (21755), Knoxville (21758), Ladiesburg (21759), Lewistown (21701), Libertytown (21762), Lake Linganore (21774), Linganore (21704), Middletown (21769), Monrovia (21770), Mount Airy (21771), Mt Airy (21771), Myersville (21773), New Market (21774), New Midway (21775), Petersville, Point of Rocks (21777), Rocky Ridge (21778), Rosemont (21758), Savillasville(21780), Spring Garden (21793), Sunny Side, Thurmont (21788), Tuscarora (21790), Urbana (21704), Utica (21702), Walkersville (21793), Wolfsville (21773), and Woodsboro (21798).
Howard County Attorney Services Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning, Administration, & Probate
Howard County Estate Attorney Serving: Clarksville (21029), Columbia (21044, 21045, 21046), Cooksville (21723), Dayton (21036), Elkridge (21075), Ellicott City (21042, 21043), Fulton (20759), Glenelg (21737), Glenwood (21738), Guilford (20763), Hanover (21075, 21076), Highland (20777), Marriottsville (21104), Owen Brown (21044), Savage (20763), West Friendship (21784), and Woodbine (21797).
Anne Arundel County Attorney Services Estate Planning & Administration, Wills
Anne Arundel Estate County Attorney Serving: Annapolis (21401, 21403, 21409), Arnold (21012), Brooklyn Park (21225), Crofton (21114), Crownsville (21032), Deale, Edgewater, Ferndale, Fort Meade, Gambrills (21054), Germantown, Gibson Island, Glen Burnie (21060, 21061, 21062), Hanover (21076), Jessup (20794), Linthicum, Odenton, Pasadena (21122), Rivera Beach, Severn (21144), and Severna Park (21146).
Montgomery County Attorney Services Estate Planning and Administration
Montgomery County Estate Attorney Serving: Ashton (20861), Aspen Hill (20853, 20906, 20916), Bethesda (20814, 20815, 20817), Barnesville (20838), Brookville (20833), Burtonsville, Cabin John (20818), Calverton, Chatsworth, Chevy Chase (20815), Clarksburg, Cloverly, Damascus (20872), Derwood (20855), Fairland, Forest Glen, Gaithersburg (20882, 20878, 20879), Garrett Park, Germantown (20876), Glen Echo, Kensington (20895), Laytonsville, Montgomery Village, Olney (20832), Poolesville, Potomac (20854), Rock Creek, Rockville (20850, 20851, 20853), Silver Spring (20904, 20905, 20906), Takoma Park (20903, 20910, 20912, 20913), and White Oak (20904).