Estate Planning for Military Families in Southern Maryland

Southern Maryland is home to thousands of military families, many of whom are stationed at NAS Patuxent River in St. Mary’s County or serve at Joint Base Andrews in Prince George’s County. Military service comes with unique challenges — frequent relocations, deployments, and hazardous duty assignments — that make estate planning essential for every service member and military family.

At SoMD Estate Planning, attorney Kathryn Batey understands the specific estate planning needs of military families and provides convenient virtual consultations that fit around demanding military schedules.

Why Military Families Have Unique Estate Planning Needs

Military life creates estate planning needs that civilian families may not face. Deployments mean service members may be away from home for months at a time, unable to manage their financial affairs or make healthcare decisions. Relocations to different states or overseas can affect the validity of existing estate planning documents. Hazardous duty assignments increase the urgency of having a plan in place.

Every service member should have a comprehensive estate plan before each deployment. That plan should include a will, powers of attorney, an advanced medical directive, and guardianship designations for minor children.

SGLI and Beneficiary Coordination

Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) provides up to $500,000 in coverage. However, SGLI beneficiary designations are separate from your will. This means that if your SGLI beneficiary designation conflicts with your will, the SGLI designation controls — not the will.

It is critical to ensure that your SGLI beneficiary designations are current and coordinated with the rest of your estate plan. If you want life insurance proceeds to fund a trust for your minor children, you should name the trust as the SGLI beneficiary rather than the children directly. An experienced estate planning attorney can help you coordinate these designations properly.

Wills Before Deployment

Every service member should execute or update their will before each deployment. Your will should name beneficiaries for all of your assets, designate an executor, and include guardianship designations for minor children. If you already have a will, review it before deployment to ensure it is still current and reflects any changes in your family or financial situation.

Powers of Attorney for Spouses During Deployment

When a service member deploys, their spouse often needs the legal authority to manage family finances, sign legal documents, handle real estate transactions, and make other important decisions. A properly drafted power of attorney gives your spouse this authority without the need for court involvement.

Military families should consider both a general durable power of attorney for financial matters and a special power of attorney for specific tasks that may arise during the deployment.

Guardianship for Dual-Service-Member Families

For families where both spouses are active-duty service members, the question of who cares for minor children during a deployment is especially urgent. The military requires service members to have a Family Care Plan that addresses childcare during deployments, but a legal guardianship designation in your will provides additional protection by ensuring that your chosen guardian has legal authority if both parents are deployed simultaneously or if something happens to both parents.

Survivor Benefits

Military families have access to unique survivor benefits, including SGLI, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), and the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP). These benefits should be coordinated with your overall estate plan to ensure that your family receives maximum protection. An estate planning attorney familiar with military benefits can help you navigate these options.

Virtual Consultations for Military Schedules

SoMD Estate Planning understands that military schedules are unpredictable. That is why we offer secure virtual consultations via video conference, making it easy for service members and military families to work with attorney Kathryn Batey from anywhere — whether you are stationed at Pax River, Andrews, or deployed overseas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a civilian estate plan if I have a military will?

Military wills prepared through JAG offices are legally valid, but they may not address all of your estate planning needs. A comprehensive civilian estate plan includes trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, and coordinated beneficiary designations that go beyond what a basic military will covers.

Can my spouse manage our finances while I’m deployed without a power of attorney?

Not always. Many banks, mortgage companies, and other institutions require a power of attorney before allowing someone other than the account holder to manage accounts. Without one, your spouse may be unable to access your accounts or conduct financial transactions during your deployment.

How often should military families update their estate plans?

Review your estate plan before every deployment and after any major life event such as marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, or a permanent change of station. At minimum, review every three to five years.

Protect Your Military Family Today

Military families face unique challenges that make estate planning essential. Call SoMD Estate Planning at (301) 818-0389 for a free consultation with attorney Kathryn Batey. We serve military families at NAS Patuxent River, Joint Base Andrews, and throughout Southern Maryland.