Estate plans are often drafted years, or even decades, before they take effect. During that time, a beneficiary’s life and circumstances can change dramatically and so estate planning drafting must be flexible. Someone who was once fully capable of managing an inheritance may later face cognitive decline, disability, or another form of incapacity. Without built-in […]
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A married couple sought Medicaid planning to protect their home from estate recovery by placing it in an irrevocable trust, but this resulted in their home becoming an available asset, making them ineligible for benefits. The author emphasizes the importance of consulting specialists for effective Medicaid planning to avoid complications.
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Estate planning has evolved from a document-centric, standardized practice to a comprehensive, personalized approach. Clients now expect holistic, tailored solutions, open communication, and technology integration. Technology aids in customization, client education, and document automation. Washington attorneys can benefit from tools like Agile Estate Planning to enhance efficiency and client satisfaction.
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The Washington Legislature adjourned Sine Die after a 60-day session, with the WSBA Legislative Affairs team monitoring and acting on nearly 300 bills. Key bills include the Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act and amendments to the Business Corporations Act. Legislation passed includes ending child marriage and creating a task force for studying artificial intelligence issues.
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Providing estate planning and end-of-life services to an ailing parent generation, within a culture that does not have tools in place to easily do so, is going to require new strategies and forward thinking about cultural relevance and cultural competency.
The issue is vast and complex, so I believe a good place to begin is with the hesitancy of many people to move forward with formal estate planning. This is especially true among those who are first-generation immigrants from a collectivistic culture, thereby leading to higher risk that their wishes will not be properly expressed during the end-of-life process.
Thirty years ago, I left my position as VP of a bank to become VP of advancement at a liberal arts college. Fast forward to 2021 and, having flunked retirement three times to date, I continue to work some hours in the field of development and specifically planned giving. Through my experience in these roles, I’ve become convinced that individually you, professionals in the legal community, don’t always realize the important role you’ve played in strengthening our communities. Consider that at Northwest Harvest, a nonprofit organization supporting food banks in Washington state, the largest single endowment gift came largely as a result of the recommendation of an allied professional like you.
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When I think of putting together my will, I think of who will get my stuff. You know, the stuff that is all over the walls, jewelry, or knick knacks and paddy whacks. Curiously, wills do not necessarily contain detailed paragraphs about who will inherit each of these things of ours. Items of this nature, […]
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When working with clients who have social and economic issues, it’s important to know that you don’t have to navigate solutions alone.
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The WSBA’s Call to Duty Pledge inspires Washington attorneys to work outside their normal practice areas to serve veterans. Morgan Gabse is one attorney who branched out to meet veterans’ needs.
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Up until very recently, whenever I asked other lawyers what they thought “low bono” meant, most ventured an uncertain guess along these lines: “Is it like pro bono, except instead of paying no fee, the client pays a low fee?”
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If you have ever wondered what to do with original wills, consider the following best practices to help you decide.
Read More…Learn how the ruling in Hillman v. Maretta affects Washington law. Recently, the Supreme Court in Hillman v. Maretta, 569 U. S. ____ (2013), re-affirmed an important tenet of trust and estate law: keep your information current. Otherwise, your (or your clients’) wishes might not be effectuated as envisioned. Trust and estate attorneys should carefully inventory […]
Read More…Learn what questions your expat clients haven’t thought to ask and about the upcoming CLE that will provide some answers. Maria (The Sound of Music) was not the problem. The problem was that Maria did not fit within the narrow confines of the box she was put in. This is true of international clients. Typically, […]
Read More…Pet trusts growing in popularity — learn what you need to know. More and more commonly, clients task estate planning attorneys with taking care of a pet if the unfortunate happens to the client/owner. Between 12 and 27% of people who draft wills include provisions for their pet, often in the form of pet trusts. Pet trusts […]
Read More…Attorneys and law students: volunteer with the Washington First Responder Will Clinic to be part of a winning team! It’s not often in the legal world that we get to participate in win-win situations. Normally if one party wins, it means another loses. For every plaintiff who wins a million dollar verdict, there is a […]
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