The Cadogan Firm

10/14/2026

WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE

Despite a harsh financial reality, Eric Becker says that millennials are now "expected to take care of irresponsible parents" too.

09/27/2026

08/19/2026

There is a new law in Maryland making speeding 30 mph over the speed limit a jailable offense. I was in court last week and saw 2 separate cases where the Defendant's were sentenced to jail for speeding.

08/03/2026

Trusts: Sorting Fact From Internet Fiction

Search "living trust" and you'll get a lot of confident answers. Many of them are wrong — and some are wrong in ways that cost Maryland families real money.

Here are the basics.

1. "My will keeps my family out of probate." It doesn't. A will is the document that goes through probate. A properly drafted and funded revocable living trust can avoid probate.

2. "A trust eliminates taxes." Not by itself. Assets in a revocable trust remain part of your taxable estate. Maryland imposes both an estate tax and an inheritance tax, and planning around them takes more than a downloaded form.

3. "A revocable trust protects my assets from creditors and nursing home costs." No. If you can revoke it, you still control it — and so can your creditors reach it. Different tools handle that job, and the timing rules are unforgiving.

4. "I signed it, so I'm finished." Signing is only half the work. A trust that isn't funded — meaning your accounts, deeds, and titles are actually transferred into it — accomplishes nothing.

5. "A trust isn't for people like me." Trusts aren't only for the wealthy. They're for anyone with a home, a blended family, a minor child, a beneficiary with special needs, or property in more than one state.

Maryland has its own Trust Act and its own rules on ex*****on, trustee duties, and how property passes. A generic online template doesn't know that.

If you'd like to know whether a trust actually fits your situation, call us. We'll give you a straight answer — even if that answer is "you don't need one."

📞 The Cadogan Firm, LLC | Towson & Ocean City

07/06/2026

ESTATE PLANNING TIP: The no cost Move That Keeps Your Family Out of Probate

Here's one of the easiest, most overlooked estate planning steps you can take — and it costs nothing to set up.

At banks, it's called POD (Payable on Death).
At brokerages, it's called TOD (Transfer on Death).
Same concept: you name a beneficiary, and the asset transfers directly to them when you pass away — no probate required.

✅ Works for bank and brokerage accounts in all 50 states
✅ TOD deeds for real estate are available in 30+ states including Maryland
✅ Free to add — just a form at your bank or brokerage

I've been practicing law for 39+ years, and I can tell you — this is one of the highest-impact, lowest-cost estate planning moves available. It's not flashy. It's not complicated. But it keeps your family out of court and keeps things simple during a time when emotions are already running high.

If you have accounts with no beneficiary listed, take five minutes this week and fix that.

📞 Questions about your estate plan? Give us a call: 410-832-7500

05/12/2026

Most people carefully plan for their home, bank accounts, and investments — but what about your email, social media, cryptocurrency, or cloud storage? A complete estate plan today must address both traditional and digital property. Maryland's Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (ET §15-601 et seq.) allows you to authorize trusted individuals to access your digital accounts upon your incapacity or death.

⚠ Important: An online platform's built-in settings — like a legacy contact or inactive-account tool — can override conflicting instructions in your legal documents. Aligning your estate plan with those account settings is essential.
As technology evolves, your plan may need regular updates to cover new platforms, crypto wallets, and digital subscriptions. The right plan ensures nothing gets left behind.

📞 Contact The Cadogan Firm today to update your estate plan for the digital age.