Estate planning should be a continual process throughout your life that changes as your life changes. The birth or death of a child, the death of a spouse, getting married, or getting divorced, etc. can all be life events that require you to update your estate plan.
We realize many of you may not want to think about your eventual death, but having an estate plan can save your loved ones from trying to determine what your final wishes were, how you want property distributed.
Tools that could be a part of your estate plan are: 1) Will, 2) Durable Power of Attorney, 3) Health Care Proxy, 4) Health Care Directive, etc. The tools will depend on your goals and needs.
As part of this page you will find:
- UME Publications
- Recorded Webinars
Another resource is the Maryland State Bar Association's (MSBA) Section on Agriculture Law (current members as of June, 2015). This Directory includes a listing of attorneys, field of practices, and areas of the state currently practicing in.
These resources will continue to grow so check back regularly.
Resources
Estate Planning Publications
Choosing Your Will and Estate Planning Attorney (Fact Sheet 925) - by Maria Pippidis, Megan O'Neil-Haight, CFCS, and Crystal Terhune, CFCS
Estate Planning: Goals, Net Worth, and Final Instructions (Fact Sheet 414) - by Patricia Tengel
Estate Planning for Farm Families (FS-972, 2014) - by Dr. Lori Lynch, Paul Goeringer, and Dr. Wesley Musser
Finding An Attorney for Your Case Requires Asking the Right Questions (2017) - by Paul Goeringer
Property Ownership and Transferring Are Important Features of Your Farm Succession Plan (FS-1056, February 2017) - by Paul Goeringer
Estate Planning Webinars/Videos
Overview of Farm Transition Process - Shannon Ferrell, Oklahoma State (June 3, 2015)
- Planning to transition the family farm from one generation to another generation? This can be a very difficult process that requires good communication skills, goal setting, financial analysis, tax planning, and retirement planning. Dr. Shannon Ferrell, Oklahoma associate professor of agricultural economics, Department of Agricultural Economics, Oklahoma State University, will discuss how to start the process through goal-setting, family communication, and estate planning.
Estate Planning Process - Ashley Ellixson
- Do you have an estate plan for your farm or farm business? During this webinar we will learn the basic steps in setting up an estate plan, and where to look for additional resources.
Business Structure Overview - Video Series
- Introduction on how business organization structures are utilized by Maryland agriculture.