Estate Planning Attorney and Probate Lawyer Blog

 If you own property in Washington State, you may have heard about a Transfer on Death (TOD) Deed — a simple way to pass your real estate directly to someone when you die, without going through probate. But what if you change your mind after setting it up? Do you need your beneficiary’s permission to make a change? The short answer is no — you don’t. Let’s break down how it works and what you should consider before relying…

  Making updates to your trust might seem straightforward—after all, it’s just a document, right? Not quite. Simply crossing out names or writing new information in your trust won’t legally work. If you want to make changes, there’s a proper and enforceable way to do it. Why You Can’t Just Cross Things Out Your trust is a legal document. If you were to cross out a name or change a paragraph by hand, anyone could argue that the changes weren’t…

Many people assume their assets will “just go” to the right people when they pass away — but that’s not always the case. In Washington State, if you die without a will (also known as dying intestate), the law determines who receives your property. Understanding that default distribution plan can help you decide whether you’re comfortable leaving things as they are — or if you want to create an estate plan to take control. How Washington State Distributes Your Property…

 Many property owners hesitate to move real estate into an LLC because they fear triggering the due-on-sale clause in their mortgage. This concern is understandable, especially if you have a low-interest mortgage that you don’t want to refinance. The good news? In most cases, you don’t need to worry. What is the Due-On-Sale Clause? The due-on-sale clause is a provision in many mortgage contracts that allows the lender to demand full repayment of the loan if the property is…

 Many people form LLCs to protect real estate or other investments, but if you’re a Washington resident, using an LLC can have unexpected consequences for your estate plan. Understanding these implications can help you avoid costly mistakes and plan more effectively. Why LLCs Matter in Estate Planning LLCs are a popular tool for liability protection, privacy, and business organization. However, when it comes to estate planning, they can change how your assets are categorized for tax purposes. This is…

 Many people form LLCs to protect real estate and other investments, but if you’re a Washington resident, using an LLC can have unexpected consequences for your estate plan. Here’s what you need to know to avoid costly mistakes. Why LLCs Can Affect Your Estate Plan LLCs are often used to separate assets from personal ownership for liability protection, privacy, or business purposes. That’s all well and good—but when it comes to estate planning, the implications aren’t always obvious. For…

 When you set up a trust, one of the key decisions you’ll make is choosing a trustee — the person responsible for managing the trust according to your wishes. But what happens if your chosen trustee can’t serve when the time comes? That’s where naming backup trustees (also called successor trustees) comes in. In this post, I’ll explain how to list multiple trustees, how many backups you can name, and how to make changes later if needed. Why You…