2025
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LicensingUser ReviewsMystery Shopping CallsOur goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Silver Spring probate lawyers on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.
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= Featured ProviderDiane K. Kuwamura of Kuwamura Law Group PA is a probate attorney near Silver Spring. The firm assists the estate's administrator with filing the proper paperwork and it provides legal representation in court during proceedings. It also notifies the relevant parties and gives guidance regarding estate tax matters. Ms. Kuwamura is an active member of the Maryland State Bar Association and she has been practicing law for over 20 years.
(19)Zewdu Alem & Associates was founded in 2003 and offers legal services to clients in Silver Spring. This law firm assists clients by providing meticulous and vigorous representation to probate-related cases, including estate planning administration and trusts. Its team of attorneys works with clients in drafting documents responsive to their needs, including a living will, advance directives, last will and testament, and powers of attorney. Moreover, it helps clients create trusts that would minimize estate taxes and asset protection for minor and special children.
The Law Office of Debra G. Oliver is a multi-practice law firm that represents individuals and businesses in Silver Spring. The company provides legal guidance and representation to legal heirs on estate and probate settlements. The team assists clients in handling validity disputes of wills or transfers of properties of a deceased loved one. The group also educates estate representatives on their legal responsibilities. Debra G. Oliver has been litigating probate and estate administration cases since 2002.
(11)McDonough Law is a family law practice that serves clients in and around Silver Spring. The firm handles cases involving probate and estate administration. It assists clients who are personal representatives named in wills and acts as a court-appointed trustee and personal representative in estate administration processes. Furthermore, the firm handles legal matters involving guardianship, divorce, and alimony. Company principal Kate McDonough started the firm in 2018. McDonough has been practicing family law since 2007. She is also fluent in Spanish.
The Eleff Law Group is a firm providing the services of a probate attorney near Silver Spring. The practice offers legal guidance to ensure that all individuals involved understand their rights and responsibilities pertaining to the estate. For those who die without a valid will, this practice is capable of administering their estate using the state-mandated procedures. Attorney and firm owner Susan Eleff maintains an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell and she is also licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Montero Law Group LLC serves clients located throughout Silver Spring and the surrounding areas. The firm can oversee the entire probate process, ensuring the estate's administrator follows all relevant laws and procedures. Its team of attorneys is also ready to litigate matters to settle disputes regarding the estate or assets. Additionally, Montero Law Group drafts and reviews wills. Attorney and managing partner R. Manny Montero is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association.
Butler & Simmons, P.A. has been serving the residents of Silver Spring and the surrounding communities in matters of probate and estate planning for more than 35 years. The firm helps clients protect their financial assets and their family members by prepare for future eventualities. It guides them on setting up legal documentation such as wills and trusts, powers of attorney, advanced directives, and guardianships. Other areas of practice include personal injury, criminal defense, mediation, and family law.
(1)The Law Office of Thomas A. Gentile has been serving clients in Silver Spring and the surrounding areas since 1976. Thomas is a general practice lawyer who currently focuses on trusts, wills, estate planning, elder law, and probate matters. He finished his Bachelor of Arts degree in Maryland and his Master of Laws degree in Washington. Presently, he is a law professor in three different local universities and a member of the Bar Association of Montgomery County Maryland.
Disclaimer: Consumers utilizing Expertise.com are free to communicate and contract with any lawyer they choose. Expertise.com is not involved in the confidential attorney-client relationship. Featured lawyers pay a reasonable advertising cost to market their legal services with Expertise.com and must meet similar selection criteria as other lawyers. All cases are different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
301-279-8000 is the non-emergency contact number in Silver Spring and all of Montgomery County.
Residents of Silver Spring have two options to obtain a police report. They can either use the online portal or send a request by mail. The online portal can be accessed at https://records-montgomerycountymd.govqa.us/WEBAPP/_rs/Supporthome.aspx. Alternatively, they can send their request to: Public Safety Headquarters, Records Division, 100 Edison Park Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878.
If you have any questions, contact the Records Section at 240-773-5330, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. The Records Section can also be reached via email at records.mcpd@montgomerycountymd.gov.
In the event that multiple original wills are discovered, the general rule is that the will bearing the most recent date gets admitted to probate. This is because many wills contain a provision that revokes all prior wills. However, it is essential to present all original wills that have been found to the office of the Register of Wills after the individual's passing. This ensures that all relevant documents are properly reviewed and considered during the probate process.
If the named personal representative in Silver Spring wishes to step down from their appointed role, they have the option to resign. To do so, they must submit a written statement to the Register of Wills. However, it is important to note that before resigning, the personal representative must provide written notice to all individuals of interest, allowing them a minimum of 20 days to receive the notification. This ensures that all relevant parties are informed of the upcoming change.
No, the filing of estate tax returns is not required for every estate in Silver Spring. In the majority of cases, estates do not need to file a tax return unless the estate's total value exceeds a certain threshold. Currently, this threshold is set at $5 million and is further adjusted annually for inflation. As long as the estate's value falls below this threshold, there is no obligation to file an estate tax return.
After the personal representative of an estate publishes mandatory notices in local newspapers (notice of appointment, notice to creditors, and notice to unknown heirs), creditors usually have six months from the first publication to file their claims against the estate. Once this timeframe expires, creditors may be barred from submitting new claims in Silver Spring.
Yes, simplified probate proceedings are available in Silver Spring for qualifying estates. If the probate assets are under $30,000 ($50,000 for spouses), "small estate" proceedings can be pursued, usually completed within two months. These proceedings don't require filing an inventory or obtaining Orphans' Court approval for administration accounts. Another option is a "modified estate administration," allowing estate closure within ten months without the involvemtn of the Orphans' Court. Not all estates qualify for this, so consulting the Register of Wills' office is recommended.
Working on contingency means a lawyer is only paid if their client has a successful outcome. With probate cases on the rise a...
