As of October 1, 2010, there is a new law governing Powers of Attorney in Maryland. In order to be effective, any power of attorney executed in Maryland after October 1, 2010, must be signed by two witnesses and notarized. The notary may be one of the witnesses.
Moreover, if one uses one of the form powers of attorney set forth in the statute and a financial institution refuses to accept the power of attorney, one could sue the bank and, contrary to the usual rules of court, get a court order commanding the bank to pay your legal fees.
However, the form documents provided by the statute are woefully inadequate for some purposes, particularly for those people who wish to ensure that appropriate asset protection planning can be accomplished should they ever require long term care in a nursing home.
While the statute allows for powers of attorney with added provisions to be considered statutory forms with the same benefits as the bare-bones form set forth in the law, Maryland estate planning lawyers have been struggling for months with how to devise powers of attorney with significant additional provisions that nevertheless comply with the new law.
The Gatesman Law Office has developed just such a Power of Attorney. For a limited time, we will offer to our existing clients a special discount to obtain the new power of attorney plus get a complimentary review of their estate plan in light of their current situations.
I am pleased to offer the same discount to readers of this website who contact us by October 31, 2010. Be sure to mention this offer when you call or email us. To reach us, simply click Contact Us for further instructions.