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Estate Planning for Maryland Motor Vehicles

July 12, 2018 by Nicole Livingston, Estate Planning Attorney

   “Estate Planing for Maryland Motor Vehicles” by Attorney Nicole Livingston

One of the most frequent questions received during seminars and consultations is how should I title my Maryland motor vehicle.  There are different options for you to consider.  If the vehicle is titled in your name alone, then upon your death, the vehicle must go through the probate process for your executor to either sell or retitle your vehicle.   We often suggest avoiding the probate process.  Here are some suggestions to avoid probate:

  • You may add your spouse as the joint owner of your vehicle. Upon your death, your spouse will automatically own the vehicle without having to go through the probate process.  However, the surviving spouse must retitle the vehicle in their name alone.
  • If you have a Revocable Living Trust, you may re-title the vehicle to the name of your Trust. We often recommend this option when a vehicle is valued over $80,000.00 or you have a classic car.
  • As of January 1, 2018, the MVA allows you to add a beneficiary on your title. The vehicle must be solely owned and you may name either an individual or a business entity as the beneficiary.  You must do this online. http://www.mva.maryland.gov/about-mva/info/27300/27300-78t.htm will open “Designating a Beneficiary on a Vehicle Title”. In the Requirements and Instructions section, scroll down to and select the last option: “Click here” to complete the beneficiary designation for your vehicle title. This will take you to a new page. On the left side of the screen, click on the last option under Vehicle Services which is “Vehicle Beneficiary Designation” to complete the beneficiary designation for your vehicle title. The fee to add a beneficiary to your title is $20.00.
  • The final option is to sign the back of your title under seller but do not date. You must also complete the MVA Gift Form.  When a vehicle is transferred to a member of your immediate family, the vehicle registration may be transferred without obtaining new registration plates.

Our website at www.sinclairprosserlaw.com contains a wealth of valuable information, including blogs on a variety of estate planning topics.  When you visit our website, sign up to receive our e-alerts.

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Nicole Livingston, Estate Planning Attorney

Nicole Livingston, Estate Planning Attorney

Nicole Livingston focuses her practice in the areas of estate planning, special needs planning, and elder law. Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Livingston was a speech-language pathologist. She worked primarily with geriatric patients with neurologic conditions in a sub-acute setting.
Nicole Livingston, Estate Planning Attorney

Latest posts by Nicole Livingston, Estate Planning Attorney (see all)

  • What Happens if You Don’t Have a Power of Attorney? - September 14, 2018
  • How to Make a Plan to Protect Your Pets - August 16, 2018
  • Estate Planning for Maryland Motor Vehicles - July 12, 2018

Filed Under: Asset Protection, Beneficiary Designations

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Nicole Livingston, Estate Planning Attorney

About Nicole Livingston, Estate Planning Attorney

Nicole Livingston focuses her practice in the areas of estate planning, special needs planning, and elder law. Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Livingston was a speech-language pathologist. She worked primarily with geriatric patients with neurologic conditions in a sub-acute setting.

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Everything about the SinclairProsser Law firm is top notch. The staff is very professional. The attorneys are extremely knowledgeable and capable. My experience let me know the SinclairProsser Law firm is the best in its field.
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We initiated estate planning following a presentation by SinclairProsser Attorney Jon Gasior. We were so impressed, we contracted with them to complete our estate planning. Subsequently, we assembled information on our assets and SinclairProsser did the rest. Correspondence was communicated to our financial institutions and the estate was established. We were very pleased with the courteous manner of the SinclairProsser staff. However, it was their professionalism that made us satisfied we chose…
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My wife and I engaged SinclairProsser when we moved to Maryland over five years ago. Our previous plan, from another state and firm, was overly complex and difficult for us to understand after several years. SinclairProsser guided us through a very thorough, but efficient, process to determine exactly what we wanted in our plan. They provided options along the way, and were very patient in explaining — in simple terms — exactly the results of each option. They were exceptionally responsive in ad…
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