Wills Attorney Serving the DMV
Thienel Law drafts valid, clear wills for individuals and families across Maryland, D.C., and Virginia, with tax counsel built in. Schedule a free consultation.
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Thienel Law drafts and updates legally valid wills for individuals and families in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia, with the tax side handled in-house.
A will is the legal document that says who receives your property, who raises your minor children, and who settles your affairs after you die. Without one, the law of your home jurisdiction makes those decisions for you. Thienel Law drafts clear, valid wills for adults across Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia, whether you are new to planning or updating an old document. A will usually sits at the center of a larger estate plan, working alongside powers of attorney and, for many families, a trust. Because Stephen Thienel holds an LL.M. in Taxation and prepares returns in-house, the tax questions that come with passing on assets are answered by the same attorney who drafts your will.
What is a will, and who needs one?
A will is a legal document in which you name the people who will receive your property, appoint someone to carry out your instructions, and, if you have minor children, nominate their guardian. It takes effect only at death, and until then you can change or revoke it. Assets that pass by trust, joint title, or beneficiary designation generally move outside the will, so a good plan reads the will and those transfers together.
Nearly every adult benefits from a will, but some situations make one urgent: parents of minor children, homeowners, blended families, unmarried partners, business owners, and anyone who has moved to or from Maryland, D.C., or Virginia since they last signed one.
What happens if you die without a valid will?
When you die without a valid will, you die intestate, and the law of your home jurisdiction decides who inherits and in what shares. That default rarely matches what people would choose. It can pass assets to relatives you never meant to provide for, leave an unmarried partner with nothing, and force a court to decide who raises your children.
A homemade will carries its own risk. A document that is not signed and witnessed the way the statute requires can be challenged or thrown out, which lands your family back in the intestacy rules you were trying to avoid. Ambiguous language and missing signatures are errors that surface only after you are gone, when no one can ask what you meant.
What does Thienel Law prepare when you make a will?
Thienel Law prepares a complete will package built around your assets, family, and jurisdiction, not a fill-in-the-blank form.
- The will itself, in plain language that names your beneficiaries and directs how your property is distributed.
- Nomination of the executor or personal representative who will settle your estate, with an alternate.
- Guardian nominations for minor children, so a court is not left to choose.
- Specific gifts and a residuary clause that catches everything not named individually.
- Provisions that coordinate the will with any trust, joint property, and beneficiary designations, so nothing contradicts.
- A self-proving affidavit where the jurisdiction allows one, which streamlines probate later.
- A review of any existing will or codicil for marriages, divorces, births, deaths, and moves across DMV lines.
What is it like to make a will with Steve?
Every engagement begins with a free 30-minute consultation. It is a fit conversation for people who are ready to hire an estate planning attorney: you describe your family and your assets, and you and Steve decide together whether working with him makes sense. From there you work directly with Stephen Thienel, not a rotating cast of staff.
The practice runs online. Secure video meetings, shared document folders, and electronic signatures let you complete a will from home, and Steve makes sure the signing meets your jurisdiction’s witnessing rules so the document holds up.
How do will requirements differ in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia?
All three jurisdictions agree on the core formalities. A will must be in writing, signed by the person making it, and signed by witnesses. Maryland requires a will to be signed by two or more credible witnesses in the testator’s presence. D.C. voids a will unless at least two credible witnesses attest and subscribe in the presence of the person making it. Virginia requires at least two competent witnesses who are present at the same time and who sign in that person’s presence.
The jurisdictions split on handwritten wills. Virginia recognizes a will written entirely in the testator’s own handwriting and signed, with no witnesses, as long as two disinterested people can later prove the handwriting. Maryland does not, apart from a narrow exception for service members who sign one overseas, and even that expires a year after discharge. D.C. does not recognize handwritten, unwitnessed wills at all.
Virginia also lets a circuit court honor a document that misses a formality when clear and convincing evidence shows the person intended it as a will, a request that must be filed within a year of death. Maryland and D.C. hold more strictly to the signing formalities, so a will that is not signed and witnessed as the statute requires can simply fail. Because Stephen Thienel is licensed in all three, one attorney can make sure your will is valid where you live now and where you might move.
Where does a will fit in your estate plan?
A will is one piece of a plan that usually has several parts, from trusts to the documents that speak for you while you are alive.
What clients say about working with Steve
I have worked with Steve Thienel for more than 20 years now and the experience has been amazing. Steve and his team are very thorough, they review all sides of a situation, and are very measured in how they approach a solution. They are 100% client focused and a pleasure to work with!
Throughout years, Steve has been my go to guy for business, real estate, and legal work. Steve works fast and is highly reliable. I would recommend Steve to anyone.
Received expert advice including options when applicable. Filings were timely and I was kept informed each step of the way. First class service!!!
I have been receiving services from Mr. Thienel for over 15 years. I have found his legal services to be of exceptionally high value and quality. His services are always timely, professional and thorough!
Reviews are published as given. Thienel Law does not offer compensation for reviews.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a lawyer to make a will?
No law requires a lawyer, but a will that is not executed correctly can fail when it matters most. Online forms miss jurisdiction-specific witnessing rules and rarely coordinate the will with trusts, joint property, and beneficiary designations. An attorney makes sure the document is valid and actually does what you intend.
What makes a will valid in Maryland, D.C., or Virginia?
In all three, a will must be in writing, signed by the person making it, and signed by at least two witnesses. Virginia also allows a will written entirely in your own handwriting and signed, proved later by two disinterested witnesses. Maryland and D.C. do not recognize ordinary handwritten, unwitnessed wills.
What happens to my will after I die?
Your will is filed and administered through probate in the jurisdiction where you lived, where it is proved, an executor is appointed, debts and taxes are paid, and your property is distributed. A clear, properly executed will makes that process faster and cheaper. Thienel Law also guides executors through [probate](/probate-attorney) across the DMV.
Will one will work if I move between Maryland, D.C., and Virginia?
A will validly signed in one state is generally honored if you move to another, but a move is a good reason to have it reviewed. Witnessing rules, spousal protections, and probate procedures differ across the DMV. Because Stephen Thienel is licensed in all three, he can review and update your will wherever you land.
How often should I update my will?
Review your will after any major life change: marriage, divorce, the birth or adoption of a child, a death in the family, a significant change in assets, or a move to a new state. A review every few years also catches provisions that no longer fit your life.
Ready to put a will in place across the DMV?
Stephen Thienel drafts valid, clear wills for individuals and families in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia, with the tax side handled by the same attorney. If you are ready to hire an estate planning attorney, schedule a free 30-minute consultation and see whether the fit is right.
- Tell Steve about your matter
- Pick a time that works