Estates - Maryland Uniform Simultaneous Death Act

HB 596 updates Maryland's law to align with the Uniform Simultaneous Death Act. It establishes that if a person cannot prove they survived another individual by at least 120 hours (5 days) in cases of simultaneous death, they are legally deemed to have predeceased that person. This affects estate distributions, inheritance claims, and insurance payouts where the order of death is unclear. The law applies to property held as joint tenancy, life insurance proceeds, and other assets governed by instruments like wills or trusts. It provides clear rules for dividing assets when simultaneous deaths create uncertainty, avoiding prolonged legal disputes.