Danielle Cruttenden, Co-Chair, MSBA Estate & Trust Law SectionJuliana Bell, Co-Chair, Maryland Office of the Attorney General
The Life & Health Planning Committee seeks to ensure that every person has access to, and is empowered to use, legal documents that give their loved ones and others a clear roadmap for how to make decisions about that person's care and belongings at times of great stress. We aim to provide low-or no-cost programs to supply legal advice and assistance in navigating probate court proceedings, claiming benefits, seeking financial assistance or drafting estate planning documents such as Powers of Attorney, Advance Medical Directives or basic Wills. We also aspire to launch a public information campaign to help individuals find and use the low- and no-cost estate planning resources that already exist in our community.
The Life & Health Planning Committee has published the Life and Health Planning Handbook (PDF). This handbook addresses:
Advance Medical Directives, Living Wills, Health Care Powers of Attorney and the Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (“MOLST”) form, which cover your health care decisions and treatment preferences;
Financial Power of Attorney, which covers your property if you become incapacitated;
The appointment of a standby guardian, which ensures that your children are cared for by someone of your choosing if you become incapacitated;
Court appointed guardianship;
Property ownership and titling;
Wills and non-probate transfers, which cover your assets after your death; and
Home ownership and deeds.
The Life and Health Planning section of People's Law Library has published this booklet by section in web page format. Here are the links to the articles adapted from the handbook:
Important Documents for Every Marylander
Advance Directives Frequently Asked Questions
Home Ownership and Deeds for Estate Planning
Property Ownership and Titling for Estate Planning
Wills and Other Property Transfer Documents
Past Meetings
11/10/2020 - Meeting, 9am AGENDA
10/20/2020 - Committee Meeting, 9am AGENDA
10/14/2020 - Resource Development Subcommittee meeting, 11am
10/6/2020 - Community Outreach Subcommittee meeting AGENDA
9/30/2020 - Resource Development Subcommittee meeting MINUTES
9/29/2020 - Committee Meeting, AGENDA MINUTES
9/20/2020 - Committee Meeting, AGENDA
9/23/2020 - Resource Development Subcommittee, 11am MINUTES
9/22/2020 - Community Outreach Subcommittee, 9am AGENDA MINUTES
9/16/2020 - Resource Development subcommittee meeting MINUTES
9/15/2020 - Meeting AGENDA MINUTES
9/9/2020 - Resource Development subcommittee meeting, 11am-12pm MINUTES
9/8/2020 - Community Outreach subcommittee meeting, 9am-10am AGENDA MINUTES CHAT
9/2/2020 - Resource Development subcommittee meeting, 11am-12pm MINUTES
9/1/2020 - Committee Meeting, 9am-10am AGENDA MINUTES
8/26/2020 - Resource Development subcommittee meeting, 11am-12pm MINUTES
8/25/2020 - Community Outreach subcommittee meeting, 9am-10am AGENDA MINUTES
8/19/2020 - Resource Development subcommittee meeting, 11am-12pm
8/18/2020 - Meeting, 9am-10am MINUTES CHAT
8/12/2020 - Resource Development subcommittee meeting, 11am-12pm MINUTES
8/5/2020 - Resource Development subcommittee meeting, 11am AGENDA
8/4/2020 - Meeting, 9am AGENDA MINUTES CHAT
7/29/2020 - Resource Development subcommittee meeting, 11am-12pm AGENDA MINUTES
7/28/2020 - Community Outreach Subcommittee Meeting, 9am AGENDA MINUTES
7/22/2020 - Resource Development subcommittee meeting, 11am-12pm
7/17/2020 - Community Outreach Subcommittee meeting MINUTES
7/14/2020 - Meeting, 9am-10am MINUTES AGENDA CHAT
7/8/2020 - Community Outreach Subcommittee meeting, 9am to 10am. MINUTES
7/15/2020 - Resource Development Subcommittee meeting MINUTES
7/8/2020 - Resource Development Subcommittee meeting, 11am to 12pm MINUTES
6/30/2020 - Meeting, 9am - 10am AGENDA MINUTES CHAT
6/23/2020 - First meeting, 9am - 10am AGENDA MINUTES