HWK’s blog focusing on estate matters

International travel may be seamless, but your estate plan may not be.  Many estate plans are designed around U.S. laws and institutions. If you own property abroad, hold overseas accounts, maintain dual citizenship, or spend significant time in another country, your plan could face unexpected...

Travel takes us beyond our daily routines and into new experiences. Whether you're traveling for business or pleasure, being away from home can reveal something many people overlook: weaknesses in their estate plan. In today's digital world, estate planning is about more than having the right...

Rule 10-304.2, a new Maryland court rule regarding Specific Transactions took effect on July 1, 2026. Maryland law includes a classification called a Specific Transaction for financial transactions that may be necessary for a minor or person with a disability, but who do not have ongoing financial...

Good news in the form of a sudden windfall can put your family in a new financial position that may materially alter your legacy and estate plan. And while it may seem like a pure positive, it can also attract the attention of the Internal Revenue Service and prompt a reevaluation of which...

You never stop being a parent. Even when your child reaches adulthood, they are always in your thoughts—and, in many cases, your estate plan. There may be times when your adult children need you just as much—or more—than they did while growing up. If they are suddenly facing a disability, chronic...

Families supporting a child with disabilities often describe the transition to adulthood as both meaningful and challenging. Turning 18 and 21 bring significant legal, financial, educational, and benefits-related changes, many of which require advance planning to avoid gaps in decision-making...

Too Late Too Plan: Navigating Legal and Financial Barriers After Dementia Progresses Looking back, it often feels clearer. The signs were there—missed appointments, repeated questions, unusual behavior, small but noticeable changes. You were paying attention; you just thought there would be more...

The Window of Opportunity: Legal Steps to Take When You First Notice Memory Problems You have been seeing the signs for months. Mom or Dad has not quite been themselves lately. They are forgetting things more often: appointments, addresses, payments, names. The other day, they got lost going to a...