The Challenges of Timeshare Ownership
We have all been there. We take a glamorous vacation to Florida or Hawaii or Arizona or Mexico, and we are presented with the deal of a lifetime: a timeshare.…
The Community Property Agreement
Property owned by a spouse does not automatically transfer to the surviving spouse at death. Instead, something more is needed in the estate plan to accomplish this feat. In all…
Keep the Family Farm – The Washington Farm Deduction
Should a person gift the farm before death to avoid the complexity of probate and the estate tax? Probably not. The family farm occupies a unique position in Washington state…
Step-Up in Tax Basis at Death
At death, there is a little-known tax benefit that the federal government provides. It is an adjustment to tax basis and it can have a profound effect on the taxation…
Property Sale Strategy: Selling Property with the Real Estate Contract
If a person proposes to sell real property (land, house, buildings, etc.), the best option is to receive a full cash offer. In this case, whether some or all of…
Savor the Simplicity of the Community Property Agreement
As one year comes to an end and another begins, it’s worth taking stock of your estate plan and ponder whether Washington State’s Community Property Agreement is right for you.…
Disclaimer Trusts
Why in the world would I write about such an esoteric issue as the “Disclaimer Trust?” Simply put, it is one of the best and most frequently used trusts by…
Simplifying Life and Administration after Life
Above all else, two issues impact the complexity and time and cost of the administration of a person’s estate more than the rest: the assets and the heirs. One of…
Do I Need A Trust?
One of the most commonly fielded questions by estate planning attorneys is “Do I need a Trust?” What kind of trust? There are many, many, many different kinds of trusts.…
Buy-out of a Deceased Owner’s Share of the Company
Organizational documents are imperative for entrepreneurs starting a business. This article digs a little deeper into a specific issue that comes up in the organizational documents: the buy-out of a…
