Dear Friends:
As we begin a new year with resolutions, reflection, and planning, we want to take a moment to wish you and your loved ones a happy and healthy 2026.
In this issue, we share some 2026 updates and reminders, and, as always, we appreciate the trust you place in us, and we look forward to working with you in the year ahead.
The team at Bienstock Law,
Steve Bienstock
Josh Bienstock
Sheila Gindes
Lisa Jennings
Jaycie Boyle
Christine Burke
Lacinda Fields
NEW LAWS
Here are some of the new laws that went into effect at the start of this year:
Maryland:
- Barbers and cosmetologists now must complete domestic violence awareness training.
- Heirs living in family homes now have some protection from the home being sold at a tax sale.
- Health plans must now cover medically necessary adult hearing aids when ordered, fitted, and dispensed by a licensed hearing aid dispenser.
- If you have biological or adopted children living in your household, you may now deduct part of the support obligation for those children before calculating support in a new or pending case (effective October 1, 2025).
DC:
- Former crimes that are now considered legal will be expunged from your record.
JANUARY CHECK-IN:
REVIEW YOUR ESTATE PLAN
January is a perfect time to review your estate planning documents. Make sure they still say what you want since changes in your life could warrant changes in your documents. Reviewing them will bring peace of mind — and potentially save your loved ones time, stress, and expense in the future.
Whether you already have a will, powers of attorney, or a trust in place, recent life changes — new family members, changes in your health or financial situation, or even new laws — could affect how well your documents still reflect your wishes. A thoughtful review will confirm that beneficiaries are current, decision-makers still make sense, and your documents remain valid and effective.
Common Estate Planning Questions
Do I really need to review my estate plan every year? An annual review isn’t required, but it’s a good idea to reassess every 2-3 years or when major life events occur. Marriage, divorce, births, or deaths can affect the effectiveness of your documents. Updating beneficiary designations, powers of attorney, and trusts helps ensure your plans reflect your current intentions.
Can’t I just use online templates or do this myself? Self-help estate planning tools may look simple, but every estate is unique. Misunderstanding how a document works — or missing a key step — can lead to probate delays, unintended inheritances, conflicts, or costly legal complications. Working with a knowledgeable attorney helps tailor your plan to your goals and ensures your documents work as intended.
If you’re unsure whether your estate plan needs updating or if you’re considering adding a trust to your plan, we’re here to help. Our experienced team can answer your questions.
Reach out today to schedule a review and start the year with confidence.
WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN
TO MY SWEET YORKIE?
As much as we may feel differently, under Maryland law, pets are considered personal property, not family members. This is important to know if you are facing divorce or are preparing your will.
Divorce: If you owned your pet before your marriage, it stays with you. If you got your pet during your marriage, then the pet is marital property. In a divorce, the Court decides what happens to marital property unless you and your spouse have reached an agreement and have put that agreement in writing. A Voluntary Separation and Property Settlement Agreement is a contract between you and your spouse, which gets signed by both of you and should be notarized. This Agreement documents decisions about possessions, child custody, and more.
Will: If you have not specifically provided for your pet in your Will, its future will be decided by others. Make sure you name someone in your Will to care for your pet. Name an alternate in case the person you had planned to “adopt” your pet cannot keep it (allergies, his pet doesn’t get along with your pet, the person becomes ill or dies). You can also include a Trust in your Will to provide for the care for your pet.
So, don’t make assumptions about what happens to your sweet Yorkie. Work with your attorney to ensure she is protected.
[The Pennsylvania House of Representatives just passed legislation making pets family members, not just property. This would require the Court in divorce proceedings to consider the pet’s best interest in deciding who gets custody. It will be interesting to see if the Pennsylvania Senate goes along with this, and if their Governor signs it into law. Maryland has discussed this but hasn’t acted on it yet.]
BELIEVE IT, OR DON’T!
- You can be charged with a misdemeanor for throwing snowballs in Provo, Utah.
- In Philadelphia, it is illegal to save a cleared parking spot with household items.
- You can get fined for letting your car idle too long on a cold day in Roseville, Michigan.
- In Nevada, throwing anything off a ski lift is illegal.
- Earth is actually closest to the sun in December, even though winter solstice is the shortest day of the year.
- The coldest weather ever recorded on Earth was -128.6 degrees F in Antarctica on July 21, 1983.
- Yakutsk, Russia is the coldest city in the world.
- The North Pole is warmer than the South Pole.
- Chionophobia is the fear of snow.
- Snowflakes are always 6-sided and fall at about 3 mph.
- A single snowstorm can drop up to 39 million tons of snow.
Do you have a question for us?
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.