Estate planning is easier to discuss when the family starts with the decisions it needs to make, rather than assuming one document will answer every question. Some decisions concern who can act during a person’s lifetime; others concern instructions for property after death. A separate set of issues can arise when an executor or another representative must administer an estate. Kerri M. Castellini’s firm profile identifies her work as including estate planning, estate administration, and guardianships for adults and minors. Those are related areas, but they address different circumstances.
Match the planning question to the decision-maker
A will can set out directions for property after death. A power of attorney concerns authority granted to someone else to act for the person who makes it, while a medical directive addresses health-care decisions. Trusts can establish arrangements for managing assets according to their terms. These documents are not interchangeable, and the effect of any document depends on its language and the applicable law.
Price Benowitz’s trusts and estates team page lists wills, trusts, probate, and estate administration among the group’s work. Its Washington, DC practice page also discusses powers of attorney. Those published descriptions can help a prospective client identify topics for a conversation, but they do not determine which documents a particular person needs. Start by separating questions about authority during life from questions about transferring property after death.
For example, someone concerned about temporary difficulty managing finances might want to ask what arrangements could address that situation. A parent thinking about a child’s future may have different questions from an adult helping an older relative. A person updating a will after a major family change may need to consider whether related documents and beneficiary designations still fit. Describing the situation and desired outcome is more useful than arriving with only a form name.
Keep guardianship distinct from wills and trusts
Castellini’s firm profile specifically identifies guardianships for adults and minors, in addition to estate planning and estate administration. That is a distinct area to raise when a family’s concern involves another person’s care or decision-making. A will or trust should not be assumed to resolve a guardianship issue; the relevant options depend on the person’s circumstances and the law that applies.
A useful conversation can begin with who may need support, what decisions are at issue, and whether any documents or court papers already exist. Families can ask how planning for a minor differs from addressing an adult’s situation, and what role a court process might have. These are questions for an individual assessment, not a reason to assume that guardianship will be necessary. Keeping the concern specific helps distinguish it from ordinary planning for property or future incapacity.
Ask what estate administration involves
Planning looks ahead; estate administration concerns responsibilities after a death. Price Benowitz’s Maryland trusts and estates overview describes work that can include helping an executor prepare probate documents, valuing estate assets, arranging distribution, and addressing final state and federal income tax returns. The same page describes probate as a court process for administering an estate and notes that assets in a person’s name without a beneficiary designation or joint owner may be relevant. These descriptions give families a starting point for asking what may apply, not a conclusion about any particular estate.
If you are an executor or expect to take on that role, gather available information about the assets, ownership, beneficiary designations, and any existing will or trust. Ask which responsibilities belong to the representative, what records may be needed, and whether the estate’s circumstances raise tax or other issues for separate professional input. An asset’s title and beneficiary arrangements can matter, so do not infer from the existence of a will alone whether probate will be required.
Use location and jurisdiction as early questions
The firm publishes separate trusts and estates information for Maryland and Washington, DC. That makes it sensible to raise jurisdiction early if a household, property, or relevant documents connect to more than one place. The correct analysis depends on the facts; a published overview for one jurisdiction should not be treated as an answer for a matter governed elsewhere. Ask which jurisdiction is relevant and whether the attorney can assist with the specific issue.
The matched local listing identifies the business as a Probate & Estate Attorney and shows an address at 7101 Wisconsin Ave Suite 1080, Bethesda, MD 20814. It lists the phone number +1 301-381-7456. Because those are listing details, confirm the current meeting arrangements and service scope when you call rather than assuming the address or listing category answers a jurisdiction question.
Bring the records that clarify your decision
For a first discussion, collect any existing wills, trust documents, powers of attorney, medical directives, beneficiary designations, and relevant court papers. Note changes since they were prepared, such as a move, marriage, birth, death, or a change in who might be able to serve. You do not need to resolve legal questions on your own before seeking advice; the purpose of organizing these records is to help explain the situation accurately.
Castellini’s published practice areas provide a useful way to organize the conversation: planning for decisions during life, guardianship questions, and administration after death. Identify which of those concerns prompted you to seek advice, then ask what information is needed to assess it and which jurisdiction’s law may apply. That gives the discussion a concrete starting point without presuming that one document, process, or solution fits every family.
