Acorn Law LLC

08/25/2026

Are estate tax and inheritance tax the same thing?” We get this question a lot.

They’re not. They’re two separate taxes. And fun fact: Maryland is the only state with both!

Estate tax looks at the whole estate. Inheritance tax looks at who’s receiving it, and how they’re related to the person who died.

Close family is generally exempt from the inheritance tax, but other beneficiaries may owe a flat rate.

Same estate, different people, different outcomes.

Full breakdown on our blog. Link in bio.

If you’d like to learn more about how these Maryland death taxes might impact your estate, schedule a quick chat with our team.

08/25/2026

Ever wonder why estate taxes and inheritance taxes get mixed up so often? They're actually two different things. And fun fact: Maryland is the only state with both!

The estate tax looks at the total value of everything someone owned. The inheritance tax depends on who's receiving the inheritance and how they're related to the person who passed away. Close family, like a spouse, children, or parents, are generally exempt from the inheritance tax. Other beneficiaries may owe a flat rate on what they receive.

So two people inheriting from the same estate can end up owing very different amounts.

We broke it all down in a new blog post. Read more if you want the full picture.

Yesterday a client asked me a question I hear all the time: "Are estate tax and inheritance tax just two names for the same thing?" It's a fair question, and the answer is that they're two separate taxes with their own rules. Maryland is the only state that imposes both an estate tax and a

08/12/2026

A will is only as strong as its weakest legal element, and getting every detail right takes more than good intentions.

That’s where working with an attorney who knows the law and is familiar with the nuances in your jurisdiction comes in. In our recent blog post, we walk through what can make a will invalid in Maryland and why the details matter.

Link in bio to read more, or reach out to schedule a Quick Chat with our team.

08/06/2026

We’re proud to call Columbia home. And one of our favorite things about this community is how many of you give. Not for recognition. Not for a tax break. But because you actually care about people.

Here’s the thing though: charitable giving isn’t just generous, it can also be smart. Done right, it’s one of the most powerful tools in legacy planning — reducing estate and capital gains taxes while making sure your dollars go exactly where you want them to.

Too often, giving happens outside the plan instead of inside it — which can mean missed opportunities and less impact than it could have.

If giving back is part of who you are, let’s make sure it’s part of your plan too. Schedule a consultation with us and let’s build something that meets your goals and stretches every dollar toward the causes you love.

Proudly serving Columbia, MD and Howard County


07/31/2026

I’m not here to make you money. There are plenty of people already angling to do that for you.

I’m here for the less glamorous but more important part: the quiet work of actually keeping wealth once you have it. The families who do this well aren’t chasing the next gimmicky way to make a buck. They’re quietly organizing for life’s biggest transitions. Incapacity planning current. Estate plan up to date. Beneficiaries accurate. Every transfer of wealth accounted for before it happens.

Think of me less as a financial advisor, more as your financial hygienist: the person who makes sure everything’s in order before you need it to be.

If you live in central Maryland and this sounds like something your family could use, grab 15 minutes with us. Link in bio.

07/24/2026

Here’s what we see, over and over, in our office:

The sibling who lives near the aging parent is quietly keeping score: years of doctor’s appointments, medication schedules, middle-of-the-night phone calls. I did the work. I deserve more.

The other sibling is keeping a different score: questions about what happened to the money, the house, that heirloom they always wanted that “went missing” sometime around move-out. You weren’t careful. You weren’t transparent. You deserve less.

Neither is wrong about their own experience. But those private ledgers have nothing to do with what the parent actually wants — and if you wait until probate to compare notes, this resentment drives a wedge in your family. Don’t wait for probate to have the conversation you needed to have at Thanksgiving. Have it now, as a family. While your parent is still at the table.

Not sure how to start it? Schedule a quick chat with us to learn about setting up a family meeting or mediation — a guided space where everyone, including your parent, gets heard.

ColumbiaMD

06/18/2026

…then you’ve found the right law firm. The hardest part is usually just starting the conversation. I promise the rest isn’t so bad. Hit the link in bio to schedule a quick chat and we’ll take it from there.

06/17/2026

Maycember is over and school is (finally!) coming to an end. You deserve some real quality time at the beach or the pool with a good book. Summer is such a great time to relax, pause and take time for yourself. It can also be the perfect opportunity to carve out some time to tackle one of those big projects that will take a load off of your mind (ahem… finally getting your estate planning done). It will take less of your time than you think, I promise. And then you can celebrate with a margarita!

If you’re interested in learning more about how our office can help you tackle the important stuff this summer, schedule a quick chat to learn more. Link in bio.

04/17/2026

New spouse vs. adult children is a story we often see after a parent dies. But this one will stop you cold. An 85-year-old widow, arrested in her nightgown, sitting in detention — all over a modest estate her husband left no plan for. Please, please, leave a roadmap for your love ones.

After Marie-Thérèse Ross-Mahé’s husband died, an inheritance battle exploded. Her stepson then used his influence to have her arrested, an Alabama probate judge said.

04/11/2026

First — don’t panic. But don’t ignore it either.
In Maryland probate, an interested person (think: an heir, beneficiary, or creditor) can file exceptions if they believe something in your account is wrong. It essentially kicks things up to the Court.

What that means for you as PR:
- You’ll need to defend your accounting and decisions
- Deadlines matter — missing them can hurt your position
- This is usually when having professional guidance becomes critical

Filing exceptions doesn’t automatically mean you did something wrong. But it does mean the process just got more formal. Every estate is different, and the right next step depends on your specific situation.

Follow along — I’ll be sharing more about navigating the tricky parts of Maryland probate.