LGST 316 at the University of Maryland Global Campus is a fundamental study of the legal concepts needed to draft and prepare simple wills and administer estates. UMGC lists LGST 201 as the prerequisite.
The stated goal is to construct an estate plan that supports the creation and administration of a simple estate. Students find it demanding because it is both a body of rules and a sequence of practical steps, and an error in one step can affect the rest.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) |
| Course code | LGST 316 |
| Credits | 3 |
| Prerequisite | LGST 201 |
| Credit note | Credit may be received for only one of LGST 316, PLGL 216 or PLGL 316 |
| Assignments named by UMGC | Legal research and written analysis reflecting required processes and procedures |
What LGST 316 Covers
| Topic (UMGC) | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Preliminary and practical considerations | First steps in opening and managing an estate |
| Appraisal and probate inventory | Identifying and valuing what the estate owns |
| Inheritance taxes | Understanding tax obligations that may arise |
| Claims against the estate | Handling creditors and disputed debts |
| Debts, accounting and distribution | Paying obligations, recording transactions and distributing property |
| Drafting and execution of wills | Preparing a valid will and signing it properly |
| Guardianships | Appointing and supervising guardians |
Key Concepts Explained
The Administration Sequence
Estate administration follows an order: authority to act, identifying and valuing assets, notifying creditors, paying valid debts and taxes, then distributing what remains. Knowing the order helps you spot where a fact pattern has gone wrong.
Illustration (invented figures): An estate holds a house valued at one amount and a bank account at another, with a valid debt and a funeral bill. The sequence matters: value the assets, confirm the debts, pay them, and only then distribute. Distributing first could leave the personal representative personally exposed.
Valid Execution of Wills
A will must meet the formal requirements of the governing jurisdiction, such as writing, signature and witnessing. Failure to follow these formalities can invalidate the document, so the details in your course materials matter.
Intestacy and Guardianship
If there is no valid will, state law decides who inherits. Guardianship questions involve who is appointed to care for a minor or an incapacitated person, and what oversight applies. Refer to the statutes your course uses.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
| Assignment type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Estate plan or simple will draft | Applying drafting rules | Include each required clause and check execution formalities |
| Estate administration steps | Process knowledge | Present the steps in order and cite the relevant procedure |
| Legal research and written analysis | Finding and applying law | Cite statutes and rules and tie them to the facts |
| Inventory and accounting exercise | Accuracy | Keep a clear schedule of assets, claims and distributions |
A Checklist for Estate Administration Tasks
Use a single checklist so that no step is skipped in a problem or a drafting exercise.
| Stage | Task | Common error |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Confirm authority to act for the estate | Acting before authority is confirmed |
| Inventory | List and value every asset | Leaving out smaller or jointly held items |
| Claims | Identify and evaluate creditor claims | Paying a debt that is not valid |
| Taxes | Identify inheritance tax obligations | Overlooking a filing |
| Account | Record all receipts and payments | Totals that do not reconcile |
| Distribute | Distribute according to the will or intestacy rules | Distributing before debts are settled |
For a will-drafting exercise, use a separate checklist: identification of the person making the will, revocation of earlier wills, gifts, the representative named, and signing and witnessing in the form your jurisdiction requires.
Worked Example: A Simple Distribution Order
The figures below are invented to show the order of steps, not to represent any real law of distribution.
An estate holds assets of 100 units. Valid debts and funeral costs total 30, and expenses of administration total 10. After paying these, 60 remains for distribution under the will.
If the representative had distributed 70 to beneficiaries first, the estate could not meet its obligations. That is why the sequence of inventory, claims, payment and distribution matters.
In your own work, show each figure in a schedule with the source of the number. Reconcile the totals at the end so the reader can see that assets minus payments equals the amount distributed.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Losing the order of steps. Make a flowchart and refer to it for each problem.
- Drafting without checking formalities. A correct clause in an invalid will helps nobody.
- Arithmetic and accounting errors. Use a schedule and reconcile totals.
- Treating a simple estate as a complex one. The course focuses on simple estates.
Study Tips for LGST 316
- Build a glossary: personal representative, intestate, devise, bequest, residuary.
- Draft a practice will from invented details to see the structure.
- Keep your jurisdiction's statutes at hand and cite sections precisely.
- Check every figure in an accounting twice.
How We Help with LGST 316
Send the facts, instructions and any forms. A writer can prepare a custom analysis or draft for study, explain the administration steps, or review your own work. For wider support, see our law assignment help guide.
GradeEssays is independent of the University of Maryland Global Campus. Our work is a study and reference aid; use it to learn the method, then complete and submit your own work under UMGC's academic integrity policy. Orders are written from scratch, include free revisions within the scope of your original request, and are refunded in full if late.
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Frequently Asked Questions
UMGC lists LGST 201.
No. UMGC describes drafting simple wills and administering simple estates.
Estate administration, appraisal and inventory, inheritance taxes, claims, debts, accounting, distribution, will drafting and execution, and guardianships.
UMGC says credit may be received for only one of LGST 316, PLGL 216 or PLGL 316.
UMGC says assignments include legal research and written analysis reflecting the processes and procedures required by law.
Yes. Send the facts and your draft; we review structure, clauses and execution requirements and explain corrections.