Maryland Regular vs Modified Administration

Quick answer: Modified Administration eliminates the formal Inventory and account in exchange for a simpler Final Report due at month 10 and distribution by month 12 — but it requires unanimous consent from every residuary legatee or heir, elected within three months of appointment. Regular estate administration is the fallback, with a full Inventory, Information Report, and ongoing accounts. See how this affects your own estimate in the Maryland probate timeline calculator.

Side by side

	Regular estate	Modified Administration
Inventory required	Yes, within 3 months	No — eliminated
How it's obtained	Default track	Election within 3 months, unanimous consent required
Reporting	First account at 9 months, then every 6–9 months	Single Final Report at 10 months
Final distribution	When the last account is approved	Within 12 months of appointment
Register of Wills supervision	Ongoing account review	Minimal; rarely needs Orphans' Court action
Can it change mid-case	—	Can be revoked, reverting to regular estate

Getting into Modified Administration

Md. Register of Wills: the personal representative must file an Election for Modified Administration (Form 1141) within three months of appointment. Every residuary legatee of a testate decedent, or every heir at law of an intestate decedent, must also file a signed Consent (Form 1142). Unanimous agreement is required — a single holdout keeps the estate on the regular estate track.

What Modified Administration replaces the paperwork with

Instead of an Inventory and account, the personal representative files a verified Final Report (Form 1143) no later than ten months after appointment, confirming continued qualification and summarizing the estate's disposition. Final distribution must follow within twelve months of appointment. Up to two 90-day extensions are available — the first with the consent of the interested persons, a second additional extension with Register of Wills approval.

It isn't necessarily permanent

If Modified Administration is revoked — whether at the Orphans' Court's own initiative or for good cause shown by an interested person or the Register — the estate must proceed as a regular estate, and the personal representative then has to file the formal Inventory and account that Modified Administration had eliminated. Notice of the revocation is mailed to all interested persons by the Register.

Facing probate in Maryland?

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Regular vs Modified Administration — frequently asked questions

What is Modified Administration in Maryland?

An optional track available within three months of appointment that eliminates the formal Inventory and account, requiring only a verified Final Report by month 10 and final distribution by month 12 — generally faster and with minimal Register of Wills supervision.

How does an estate qualify for Modified Administration in Maryland?

The personal representative must file an Election within three months of appointment, and every residuary legatee under a will (or every heir under intestacy) must file a signed Consent — unanimous agreement is required.

Can Modified Administration be extended or revoked in Maryland?

Yes to both. The personal representative can request up to two 90-day extensions to file the Final Report, one with interested-person consent and a second with Register of Wills approval. If revoked, the estate must proceed as a regular estate with a full Inventory and account.

What happens to after-discovered property under Modified Administration?

If the personal representative discovers estate property after filing the Final Report, they must file a supplemental Final Report covering that property within 60 days of discovering it, and complete distribution of it within 90 days of discovery.

Estimate for general guidance only, not legal advice. Based on Md. Register of Wills administrative guidance and Est. & Trusts Title 7. Which type fits a specific estate depends on its own facts. Consult a licensed Maryland attorney before electing.