Socio-Demographic Factors Influencing Heirs’ Property Education Participation, Experience, and Estate Planning Behavior in Maryland

Abstract

Heirs’ property, land, or a structure inherited without a will or clear legal title, poses significant challenges to land security, access to agricultural programs, and the preservation of intergenerational wealth. Educational outreach programs aim to reduce these risks by improving awareness and estate planning behavior, yet limited empirical evidence exists on how socio-demographic factors influence participation and related outcomes. This study hypothesized that socio-demographic characteristics significantly affect participation in heirs’ property education, experiences with heirs’ property issues, reported land loss, and willingness to create a will. The objective is to examine the influence of age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and occupation on these outcomes among participants in Heirs’ Property Education (HPE) programs conducted by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore Extension. Post-event survey data from 69 participants were analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariable binary logistic regression models. Results indicated that gender was a significant predictor of heirs’ property experience, with women more likely than men to report such situations. Age, education, and gender significantly influenced willingness to have a will, with younger respondents, women, and those with graduate or professional degrees less likely to express willingness. No socio-demographic variables significantly predicted program participation or reported land loss. These findings suggest that heirs’ property vulnerability and estate-planning behavior vary across demographic groups, highlighting the need for targeted, inclusive educational strategies to strengthen land retention and legal preparedness.