Estate Administration & Probate

Some people in Washington use certificates of deposit to set aside money for a short or medium period. The benefit of these certificates is that they allow owners to earn a return on their initial investments. If you inherit one or more of these certificates, it's...

It often surprises executors completing their duties on a Washington estate after a person’s death that they need an Employer Identification Number. According to the Internal Revenue Service, as soon as a person dies, their Social Security number ceases to exist....

When a Washington resident passes away, their estate will in most cases go through the probate process. During probate, the validity of the decedent’s last will and testament is established, and then various estate-related expenses are paid. Assets are distributed to...

Probate is the process in which the court monitors payments of estate debt and distribution of its assets according to the decedent's wishes. If there is no will, the state divides the estate among the qualifying relatives. You can avoid a lengthy probate procedure in...

Executors of estates play a vital role in fulfilling your final wishes. They also manage your investments and assets during the probate and distribution process. To fully protect your estate and your heirs, you need to choose your estate executor wisely. Washington...

The probate period after the death of a loved one is often fraught with lots of red tape. One of the most common and most expensive parts of probate is the handling of real estate, including the sale of a house. Steps of probate with real estate Ideally, the person...

All Washington adults should have an estate plan. However, if they own property in another state, it can complicate matters as that property must go through ancillary probate after their death. This is what that means and how it works. Understanding ancillary probate...

There are many estate planning tools you can use in Washington State to prevent your loved ones from going through the costly, exhausting and time-consuming probate process when receiving their assets. The most popular way to achieve this is, of course, establishing a...

When it's time to choose the executor of your estate, you may not realize that you can't choose just anyone. Washington has certain restrictions in place on who can serve as executors. Adults of sound mind Minors can't serve as executors of estates. The person whom...

When someone dies in Washington, their assets must be distributed in a specific order set forth by law. This process is known as "probate." While probate is necessary in some cases, there are many situations where it isn't ideal, so formulating your estate plans to...