Is Your Financial Agent Abusing Their Power? Oftentimes, when an individual is unable to manage their finances on their own, they will create a power of attorney and hire a financial agent to take on the responsibility for them. A financial agent has complete access to an individual’s finances and has the power to do most everything financially related on the individual’s behalf, More
How to Support Your Disabled Child After Your Death For parents with a child with special needs, one of their biggest concerns is how they are going to continue to support their child after their death. While it is a parent’s first instinct to leave them a large amount of money in a private bank account, doing so could actually have negative implications on More
Is a Revocable Living Trust Right For My Estate Planning Needs? Making post-life arrangements is not something that many people want to do, but it is something that needs to be done despite the discomfort it may cause. Most people opt to create a will, as it is most conventional and requires very little maintenance once drafted and finalized. However, there are several estate planning tools More
New Law Addresses Powers of Attorney in Washington This year, Washington lawmakers passed a new bill, known as the Uniform Power of Attorney Act, which goes into effect January 1, 2017. The new law will make substantive changes to how powers of attorney are established and terminated in the state. Signing Formalities Under the terms of the new law, a power of attorney More
Required Seller Disclosures In Washington, individuals who sell residential homes are required to disclose certain details to the buyers about the property. Failing to disclose may result in a sale falling through, so if you are interested in selling your home, it is important to speak to a real estate attorney who can explain a seller’s legal obligations. More
Probate Shortcuts When an individual passes away and leaves his or her remaining assets to friends and loved ones, a probate court must oversee the distribution of the estate. Probate proceedings can be expensive and time-consuming.Fortunately, Washington offers a variety of probate shortcuts. Claiming Property With an Affidavit In Washington, certain individuals can skip the probate process More
Homeowners’ Rights During Pre-Foreclosure If you’re looking to buy a home in Washington State, there’s a recent court decision out of the state Supreme Court you need to know about. No one likes to think that the worst might happen or that they might fall on hard times. However, it’s important to know that due to this ruling, your More
Washington Estate Taxes 101 What is an estate tax? An estate tax is “a tax on the right to transfer property at the time of death.” An estate tax does not apply to everyone’s estate; whether it applies to you depends on the total value of your estate. How rich do I have to be for the estate tax More
Man’s Best Friend Needs to be Cared for After Death Too Older Americans may decide to adopt a pet to keep them company after their children have grown up or their spouses have died. Pets are particularly well suited for the elderly, as their presence can help lower blood pressure, reduce stress, increase physical activity, and reduce depression and loneliness. However, in such a situation, it is More
Should I Include My Funeral Plans in my Will? Many famous people have specified their wishes for their funerals in their wills. Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry requested that his ashes be sent to a satellite orbiting Earth. His remains were sent into space on a memorial flight in 1997. In contrast, famed author Charles Dickens asked that “no public announcement be made of More