LGBT Estate Planning

04/24/2026

Some of us prepare for every “what if.” Others assume there will always be time. This story follows two couples with very different attitudes toward planning and risk. One chose to be thorough and intentional. The other thought there was no need to worry.

What happened next is a powerful reminder that estate planning isn't just for other people. It's about protecting the people you love and ensuring that their lives don't unravel in a time of profound grief.

If you're putting off preparing a will, power of attorney, or advance directive because you think it's unnecessary, overwhelming, or “for later,” this is a story worth reading.

Two couples, LGBTQ+ men

01/12/2026

I am honored and delighted to be included among Baltimore Magazine’s Top Lawyers for 2026. A big thank-you to all my colleagues and clients for their support along the way.

09/23/2025

Same-sex marriage has been the law of the land for nearly a decade. But with the Supreme Court poised to reconsider the right, its future may once again depend on state laws, political winds, and legal contingency planning.

This piece examines the renewed threat to marriage equality, the limits of the Respect for Marriage Act, and the practical steps couples can take now — in a world where constitutional guarantees are increasingly contingent.

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Explore key legal steps same-sex couples can take now to protect their rights amid rising uncertainty around marriage equality.

06/17/2025

As a young man, I always enjoyed Pride as a celebration of freedom. It was a day of fun and community, and a welcome break from the secret-keeping and persecution many LGBTQ+ individuals experienced throughout the rest of the year. This sort of pride wasn’t a feeling of smugness—the pride that “goeth before the fall.” It was a chance to claim for ourselves the dignity and self-worth that were routinely denied us.

As I grew older, Pride became a month-long observance and celebrations around the country were infused with new energy and new meaning. The freedom we used to enjoy once a year had become a day-to-day reality. To a remarkable degree, our communities, our workplaces, and even our public policy reflected a new sense of equality and full citizenship. All of us—gay, le***an, and transgender alike—enjoyed the right to marry and to live free from discrimination.

Although I am no longer a young man, Pride still means freedom, but the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals can no longer be taken for granted. The right to marry the person you love and other hard-won legal protections feel less secure than they once did. Transgender individuals in particular are facing open hostility, and adoptive same-sex families are on edge.

As a consequence, Pride is no longer just a celebration—it is a call to action. It's a sobering reminder that the freedoms we enjoy are increasingly vulnerable. Together with our straight allies, LGBTQ+ individuals need to support each other, especially the most vulnerable among us.

04/09/2025

I am delighted to be included in The Daily Record’s 2025 Estate and Trust Law Power List. It is a privilege to be recognized alongside so many respected professionals in the field. Thank you to The Daily Record and all who contributed to this selection. Read more here: https://shorturl.at/DOexP

03/06/2025

The new administration has many of us in the LGBTQ+ community feeling anxious. Could the right to same-sex marriage and other hard-won legal protections be less secure than we once thought? What does the future hold for adoptive families and transgender individuals?

As we look anxiously to the next four years, one area we can control is our estate planning. As this article explains, “defensive estate planning” isn’t just about protecting assets. It’s about safeguarding your rights, your family, and your peace of mind in a shifting legal landscape. Learn what steps to take now to help protect what’s important to you.

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Lee Carpenter advises LGBTQ+ individuals on legal steps to safeguard their rights and relationships, from estate planning to healthcare directives, amidst political uncertainty.

08/23/2023

I am excited to report about a groundbreaking new law that will dramatically increase inheritance protections for Maryland’s domestic partners. As society continues to evolve, so do our legal frameworks, and this legislation is a significant step toward recognizing and supporting the varied relationships that make up our communities.

My recent article in the Washington Blade, “Unmarried Couples Win New Inheritance Rights in Md.,” delves into the key provisions of this legislation. By submitting a simple form to the Register of Wills, an unmarried couple can tap into an array of legal benefits, including the right to inherit from each other without a will and to be exempt from Maryland’s hefty inheritance tax.

Available to gay and straight couples alike, this new law is a testament to our state’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and compassionate future for everyone.

Surviving partners entitled to equivalent to what spouse would receive

08/08/2023

I am excited to report about a groundbreaking new law that will dramatically increase inheritance protections for Maryland’s domestic partners. As society continues to evolve, so do our legal frameworks, and this legislation is a significant step toward recognizing and supporting the varied relationships that make up our communities.

My article, “Unmarried Couples Win New Inheritance Rights,” delves into the key provisions of this legislation. By submitting a simple form to the Register of Wills, an unmarried couple can tap into an array of legal benefits, including the right to inherit from each other without a will and to be exempt from Maryland’s hefty inheritance tax.

Available to gay and straight couples alike, this new law is a testament to our state’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and compassionate future for everyone.

For more than a decade, the freedom to marry has been available to Maryland’s same-sex couples. Those who have approached the altar, the chuppah, or the courthouse and tied the knot enjoy legal benefits that were denied them as domestic partners. These include the right to receive an inheritance i

03/03/2023

Naming a lawyer as the personal representative of your estate can help ensure that your assets go to the people you care about with a minimum of family strife.

When a loved one has died, the shock and sorrow of their loss may quickly lead to another emotional jolt—the prospect of having to settle their estate. Being named personal representative (executor) under someone’s will is both an honor and a burden. The process usually takes several months. The

01/05/2023

Consider revisiting your estate plan in the coming months. Your will, power of attorney, and advance medical directive may well need a tune-up if your life circumstances have changed. Arrivals or departures in your family, a change in your marital status, or a significant increase in your assets—any of these is reason enough to speak with an Estates & Trusts attorney soon.

An estate plan is a set of papers that usually includes a will, durable power of attorney, and advance medical directive. These essential documents can help you manage financial and health-related matters if you ever become incapacitated, and they should provide for the efficient transfer of your as