Dear Friends:
From our families to yours, best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving! We hope your holiday is filled with all good things.
At Bienstock Law, we have much to be thankful for, and the privilege of being of service to all of you is high on that list. We thank you for your trust in us.
Wishing you holiday joy!
The team at Bienstock Law,
Steve Bienstock
Josh Bienstock
Sheila Gindes
Lisa Jennings
Jaycie Boyle
Christine Burke
POWER OF ATTORNEY
There are two types of Power of Attorney documents, each serving its own specific purpose:
General (Financial) Power of Attorney:
This is the most common. It gives someone you trust, called your “agent” or “attorney-in-fact,” the power to handle any legal or financial matters for you if you are not able. This includes things like signing contracts, managing bank accounts, or even selling property. You may need your agent to act on your behalf if you are traveling, are in the hospital, or are otherwise unable.
Medical Power of Attorney:
This power of attorney focuses mostly on healthcare or medical decisions. If you are in an accident or in a coma, your agent can approve anything medical-related on your behalf. This could include surgeries, medications, or even hospice.
Advance Directive/Living Will:
Although not a power of attorney document, the Advance Directive (or Living Will) is a related and very important document. Like the Medical Power of Attorney, it deals with healthcare, but the Advance Directive serves a distinctly different purpose. It is a set of instructions for the end-of-life care you wish to receive if you are in a vegetative state or terminally ill. For instance, it deals with whether or not you want to be kept alive by machines or receive only pain relief. This is the document that also can speak about organ donation.
Why Are These Documents Important?
These documents:
- Avoid court delays. Without a Power of Attorney, your family may need to go through a lengthy guardianship process to manage your affairs.
- Prevent family disputes. Clear instructions will help reduce arguments about your care and your assets.
- Protect your finances. If you are incapacitated, and bills are starting to pile up, a Power of Attorney allows someone to access your accounts and pay your bills promptly.
How to Set Them Up:
Creating these documents consists of three easy steps:
- Drafting the documents: Your lawyer can prepare a document tailored to your needs.
- Signing the Power of Attorney in the presence of a Notary Public and Witnesses: A Notary Public is an official appointed by the state to act as a neutral witness. You also need two witnesses who are not the person appointed as your attorney-in fact (agent), family members, or anyone under the age of 18.
- Store and Share: Make sure you keep the original paperwork somewhere safe or with your lawyer. You can also give copies of the document to your agent, doctor (for the Medical Power of Attorney), and bank (for the General/Financial POA).
Be sure to take the time every few years to review these documents, especially after major life events like divorce, deaths of others, or moving from one state to another.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Life happens. Divorce. Arrest. Illness. Scams. Vehicle collisions. DUIs. Landlord/tenant disputes. Estate Planning. Death. Steve Bienstock and Josh Bienstock are available to speak at your next group meeting on a wide array of topics. They have addressed religious groups, volunteer organizations, neighborhood gatherings, professional societies, educational associations, and even a nudist camp! Want to learn more about scheduling a speaker? Contact us at 301-251-1600 or email our paralegal team at sheila@bienstocklegal.com.
Q&A
Q. I’m confused about the new laws in Maryland about speeding and reckless driving. Could you explain?
A. New laws that went into effect on October 1, 2025, re-define reckless driving, strengthen penalties for reckless and negligent driving, and expand traffic offenses, such as aggressive driving. Driving 30 mph or more above the speed limit is now considered reckless driving. The maximum penalties are pretty steep: $1,000.00 fine and/or 60 days in jail, plus, 6 points on your driver’s license. Negligent driving has a maximum fine of $750.00/2 points on your license.
These new laws are in addition to the new higher fines associated with speed camera violations.
Hopefully, you won’t find yourself cited for any of these traffic offenses. If you do, we can help.
Q. Why do I need to know about “uninsured motorist” and “underinsured motorist” coverage if I am in a car accident?
A. Uninsured motorist coverage applies when somebody who does not have insurance causes an accident and injures you. Underinsured motorist coverage applies when you are injured by somebody else whose insurance policy limit is less than the damages you’ve suffered. When it comes to filing a claim and getting compensated for injuries, many people fail to fully investigate all possible sources of insurance coverage.
Q. Are these coverages automatic under a vehicle insurance policy?
A. No, they are not. Sometimes policyholders sign a form that waives or reduces their uninsured motorist coverage. Check your policy. If you are in a collision, we can work with you to pursue all of your claim options.
BELIEVE IT, OR DON’T!
THANKSGIVING EDITION
- “Jingle Bells” was originally a Thanksgiving song.
- The origin of Thanksgiving was actually not a single meal shared by the Pilgrims and Native Americans but, rather, a multi-day event. (With all the leftovers from a modern day Thanksgiving celebration, it’s safe to say ours is a multi-day event as well!)
- In an effort to extend the holiday shopping season, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving Day from the fourth Thursday in November to the third Thursday in November. (Congress subsequently reset the holiday to the fourth Thursday.)
- Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey, not the bald eagle, to be America’s national bird.
- Sarah Hale, the author of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” was instrumental in convincing President Lincoln to officially declare Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863. (Thomas Jefferson refused to make Thanksgiving a national holiday, as he believed it would violate the separation of church and state.)
- The first TV dinner was invented thanks to a Thanksgiving mistake.
Are there any topics you would like to hear more about?
Email our Paralegal, Sheila, at Sheila@bienstocklegal.com
or call us on 301-251-1600.