---
title: "Maryland Transfer-on-Death Deed | Funding LTC Marketplace"
url: https://fundingltcmarketplace.com/states/maryland/transfer-on-death-deed/
description: "Maryland's enacted, revocable statutory TOD deed takes effect October 1, 2026 and expressly has no public-assistance effect during the owner's lifetime."
last_updated: 2026-10-20
author: George A. Mellendorf, CLTC, LTCP (Central States Insurance Services, Inc.)
publisher: Funding LTC Marketplace
note: Educational content; not legal, tax or financial advice. Markdown copy of the HTML page at the URL above.
---
Maryland · Asset Protection Tool

# Maryland Transfer-on-Death Deed

Last updated 2026-10-20

**Quick answer:** Yes, starting October 1, 2026. Maryland's Transfer-on-Death Deed Act (Chapter 750 of 2026) lets an owner pass real estate to beneficiaries at death, for owners who die on or after that date. The deed must be signed, notarized and recorded in the county land records.

Maryland lawmakers passed the Maryland Transfer-on-Death Deed Act as Chapter 750 in 2026, but the law carries a future start date: it becomes effective October 1, 2026, and covers any TOD deed signed before, on, or after that date as long as the property owner dies on or after October 1, 2026. The Act took effect on October 1, 2026, so Maryland owners can now use a TOD deed, provided it's signed, notarized and recorded before the owner dies.

The Act lets a property owner transfer Maryland real estate to one or more beneficiaries effective only at death. It's nontestamentary, meaning it bypasses the will process, but the deed still has to be signed, notarized, and recorded in the land records of the county where the property sits before the owner passes away. Nothing about notifying the beneficiary, getting their acceptance, or exchanging payment is required while the owner is alive.

## Sources and official resources

- [Maryland Department of Health: Nursing Facility Residents, Recipients and Families](https://health.maryland.gov/mmcp/longtermcare/pages/nursing-facility-residents,-recipients-and-family-members.aspx)
- [U.S. Code: 42 U.S.C. § 1396p (liens, estate recovery, transfers of assets, Partnership disregard)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/1396p)
- [CMS: 2026 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards](https://www.medicaid.gov/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/cib04272026.pdf)

Rules and figures change. Confirm current details with the agency before you act.

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