ALERT: Maryland Domestic Partners

Maryland has an inheritance tax that does not receive much attention because of the multiple exemptions from it. For instance, it does not apply to assets left to descendants (children, grandchildren, great grandchildren) nor does it apply to other close family members (parents and siblings). Although siblings are exempt from the tax, their children are not; assets left to nieces and nephews are subject to the tax. The tax is 10% of the date of death value of the assets distributed to the non-exempt person.

Until very recently, except with a small exception, assets left to a domestic partner were subject to the tax. Now domestic partners are exempt from the tax IF – if they register as domestic partners with the Register of Wills in the county where they reside. There is a specific form to complete the registration and a small fee (currently $25) for filing the form.

The staff at Chesapeake Legal Counsel has filed many such forms for our clients. If this is something that you would like the firm to do for you, please contact Olivia at 410-266-1625. Our fee for preparing the form and filing with the Register of Wills is $150 plus the $25 filing fee.