estate law
Cryptocurrency and Trusts
By: Guest Author Shaheer Hashmi Over the last several years, the use, maintenance, and prestige of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin has continued to grow rapidly, with no signs of slowing. Due to the novelty of using cryptocurrency, some people have not yet considered how to incorporate these unconventional assets into their estates, so that upon…
Read MoreNever Too Young
Guest Author: Michele C. Petite-Shelhorse The fact is, life is never predictable. You are never too young to protect your loved ones and delegate your life’s legacy. Below are ten reasons why young people should consider making their estate plan now. How do you want to be remembered? Celebration of Life planning is wise. A…
Read MoreHealth Care Advance Directives and How to Choose your Attorney in Fact
Advance directives are composed of two legal documents: A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and a Health Care Directive. A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care is a legal document appointing someone of your choice to make healthcare decisions for you if you become unable to do so because of injury, illness,…
Read MoreDying Without A Will
Having your will done is your opportunity to leave final instructions for your loved ones, and to make sure your wishes are properly carried out when you die. You can address all sorts of issues in your will, including establishing guardianships for your children, setting up trusts, taking care of your pets, end of life…
Read MoreFive Important Responsibilities for the Trustee of a Special Needs Trust
If you are thinking about serving as the trustee of a special needs trust, you will probably have questions about the trustee’s role and responsibilities. Trustees of special needs trusts have many important responsibilities, but the following five appear at the top of any trustee’s list. 1. Communication An ability to communicate with the trust beneficiary,…
Read MoreCommunity Property & Estate Planning
What is Community Property?Community property is any property owned by a married couple, or two people in a committed intimate relationship (we will refer to these as ‘spouses’ for purposes of this article), where each spouse has a “present, undivided, one-half interest in the property.” This means that each spouse has equal access to the…
Read MoreSo I’m a Personal Representative…Now What?
If you are like the majority of people, you’re probably not even sure what it means to be an executor, known as a Personal Representative in the state of Washington. If you look to Merriam Webster for an answer, you’ll find something like the following: “(T)he person appointed by a testator to execute a will.” But what…
Read More