Understanding Socio-Demographic Factors Influencing Participation in Heirs’ Property Education Programs

Heirs’ property refers to land or housing inherited without formal legal documentation, such as a will or clear title. Heirs’ property poses numerous challenges, including legal uncertainty, increased risk of land loss, and restricted access to financial services, government programs, and disaster aid. These complications often prevent families from leveraging property for wealth building or development. To educate the community members about the risks and challenges of heirs’ property, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Extension conducted ten educational sessions on heirs’ property issues across Maryland. Post-event surveys from 78 respondents were analyzed to examine how socio-demographic characteristics relate to program participation, estate planning behavior, and exposure to heirs’ property risks. Respondents were 58% African American, 26% Asian, 9% White, and 4% Hispanic/Latino; 49% were female, and 42% held graduate or professional degrees. The bivariate binary logistic regression showed that higher educational attainment was positively associated with program participation (Odds Ratio = 3.5, p < 0.05). African American respondents had significantly lower odds of attending the program (OR = 0.20, p < 0.01), but higher odds of reporting heirs’ property challenges (Odds Ratio = 2.93, p < 0.10), land loss (OR = 2.93, p < 0.10), and lower likelihood of will-making (Odds Ratio = 0.37, p < 0.10). The findings suggest that education and race are the most influential factors of heirs’ property-related outcomes. These factors can guide more effective, targeted outreach and legal education strategies for heirs’ property in diverse communities.