Rick Todd in Baltimore: Estate Planning Law for Maryland Families and Business Owners

Rick Todd offers estate planning and will drafting services from a Baltimore-based practice focused on helping Maryland residents structure assets, name guardians, and plan for incapacity. The firm serves individuals, couples, families with children, and business owners who want to avoid probate or clarify succession without navigating Maryland's estate code alone.

What the practice does

Rick Todd prepares wills, revocable living trusts, durable powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and beneficiary designations. The scope covers straightforward estates and some cases involving blended families, minor children, or family business succession. Unlike document-assembly services (LegalZoom, Nolo), an attorney-drafted plan includes a consultation to catch asset titling problems, tax inefficiencies, and guardianship gaps that templates miss. Unlike full-service Baltimore firms with fifteen or more attorneys, this is a smaller independent practice, meaning less institutional overhead and typically more direct access to the attorney handling your file.

Services and pricing

Rick Todd charges flat fees for standard estate plans. A basic will runs in the $300 to $600 range depending on complexity; a revocable living trust typically falls between $900 and $1,500. A comprehensive package pairing a will, trust, durable power of attorney, and healthcare directive costs roughly $1,500 to $2,500 for a single person or unmarried couple, and $2,000 to $3,500 for married couples. Blended-family plans or those involving minor trusts (to delay inheritance) push toward the higher end. These are flat-fee engagements, not hourly billing, so the final cost does not grow if the planning conversation runs long. Verify current fees by contacting the office; rates can shift annually.

The pricing undercuts hourly-rate estate attorneys in Baltimore (often $250 to $450 per hour), and beats the hands-off cost of probate. Maryland probate fees run roughly 5 percent of the gross estate, meaning a $500,000 estate costs $25,000 in fiduciary and attorney fees during the probate process. A trust-based plan with $2,000 upfront avoids that entirely if structured correctly.

How it compares to other Baltimore estate-planning options

Baltimore has several tiers of estate planners. Large firms like Venable LLP or Miles & Stockbridge charge hourly rates and handle complex taxation, business succession, and litigation; they suit high-net-worth clients or estates with assets over $5 million or internal family conflict. Mid-size boutiques (sometimes one or two attorneys) offer personalized service at moderate hourly rates. Rick Todd's model sits between flat-fee document services (which lack attorney review) and hourly specialists. Choose Rick Todd if you have straightforward assets, want clarity without probate, and prefer a fixed fee; choose a large firm if your estate involves complex business entities, significant tax exposure, or contentious family dynamics.

Who this suits and who it does not

This practice works well for Maryland residents with estates under $2 million, no significant business interests, and family situations without conflict. It suits parents wanting to name guardians, blended families clarifying inheritance, and couples who want to ensure assets pass to children or spouses without court involvement. It does not suit clients whose estates exceed federal or Maryland gift-tax thresholds (check IRS limits annually), those with special-needs beneficiaries requiring supplemental trusts, those whose estates include closely held businesses or farmland (needing valuation and transition planning), or families in the middle of inheritance disputes.

What your first visit involves

Rick Todd typically starts with a one-on-one consultation (often by phone or in-person, depending on preference) to map out assets, family structure, and goals. Expect to discuss bank and investment accounts, real estate, life insurance, retirement accounts, and who you want to inherit each. The attorney will ask about minor children (and whether you have a guardian preference), any previous marriages or support obligations, and business ownership. This conversation usually runs 45 minutes to an hour and clarifies whether a simple will suffices or whether a trust, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives belong in the package. You will leave with a written quote and a timeline. After you approve and sign an engagement letter, the office drafts documents, sends them for your review, and schedules a signing (often notarized at the office or via a notary service). The whole process typically takes two to three weeks from first contact to signed documents.

Hours, location, and logistics

The Law Offices of Rick Todd operates in Baltimore. Standard office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; many consultations are offered by phone to accommodate working schedules. Confirm current hours and parking details by calling or checking the office website, as practices sometimes shift schedules seasonally.

Rick Todd fills a practical niche for Baltimore families who want professional estate planning without hourly-rate costs or the complexity of going through large firms. The flat-fee structure and direct attorney involvement make it a reliable choice for standard wills, trusts, and powers of attorney in Maryland.