What is a reverse equity mortgage and how does it work?

Spring is when everyone seems to want to buy new things, plan vacations, sell a house, buy a house—or just spend money. This year, however, may be different. Credit is not as easily available and everyone needs to look more to spending what they have in their pocket and not on their plastic—not a bad thing. For seniors who have built up equity in their homes, a reverse equity mortgage is an attractive alternative to a refinancing or home equity loan. In this economy, seniors may not qualify for... More

Check to make sure you don’t lose your home over an unpaid bill

Every year thousands of properties go to auction at tax sales throughout Maryland―and not just for owed taxes. Unpaid property taxes, water bills and other bills owed to a Maryland county or Baltimore for repairs such as alley paving can cause you to lose your home. More  Read More →

Tax credits for homeowners and renters

Whether the tax stimulus package that was just passed by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama has a direct benefit to you may take a bit of time to figure out. But tax credit programs for Maryland homeowners and renters exist—and have been around for years. More  Read More →

Resolve to lighten your debt balances

Your New Year’s resolution is to tackle your debt and become plastic-free. Okay! This is a good time of the year to be optimistic. So where should you start? If you’re not feeling overwhelmed by all the money you owe and just need a few suggestions about where to begin, there are easy budgeting and pay-down-your-debt calculators online that can offer quick advice — and put everything in perspective. More  Read More →

Credit card debt after death?

Q. My wife died recently. She had some credit cards in her name that were only in her name and that only she used. Am I responsible for paying them off? A. Generally, if you are not a joint account holder, you are not responsible to pay off the debt. But More  Read More →

Prosecutor fights white-collar crime and guides students

ADAM D. LIPPE Age: 35 Profession: Assistant State’s Attorney, Baltimore County; adjunct professor at University of Maryland School of Law, University of Baltimore School of Law, Strayer University and Stevenson University. Achievements: Editor of several manuals for national bar review courses. Positions on Johns Hopkins... More

Collect your thoughts before the bill collector calls

You have lost your job or are having trouble making ends meet—and who calls? It’s the bill collector, demanding that you send money right away. Your natural response could be terror, anxiety, anger, or to just hang up. More  Read More →

Advice for the credit-wise consumer

Recession blues got you down? And, wouldn’t you know it, just in time for the holidays. But short of boycotting the malls, there’s a lot you can do—both in your personal life and in dealing with consumer issues—that can take the sting out of the year’s busiest shopping season. More  Read More →

Why are autopsies performed?

Q. Why are autopsies performed?  A. In Maryland, a death certificate must be completed by a doctor for all deaths before the body can be sent to the funeral home. When the person has a family doctor and dies from natural causes, the doctor can complete the death certificate and an autopsy may be unnecessary. However, if the person is not under the care of a physician or the death appears to be unusual or suspicious in nature or state law requires it, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner must... More

What is an autopsy?

Q. What is an autopsy? A. An autopsy is a series of tests and examinations performed on the body and its internal organs to determine the presence of an injury and/or to identify any disease that may have caused or contributed to the death of a person where the cause is not apparent. Tests are performed to check for the presence of infectious diseases, alcohol or drugs.  Source: Andrew G. Slutkin and Jamison G. White specialize in medical malpractice and catastrophic injury law with Silverman,... More

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