Recent News

Lost Will? Recent Case Highlights Estate Challenges

Washington State Litigation Lawyer William O. Kessler | 2/3/2026
Joan Lanzner signed her Will in 2012. When she died in 2022, her original Will could not be located. The court admitted an authenticated copy of the Will to probate. That Will left her estate to her biological son and two of her stepsons, Edward and Robert. It excluded her other stepson, Richard, and her… Read More

Gone With The Wind: Inherited IRAs and The Big Stretch

Washington State Estate Planning and Probate Lawyer Susan L. Alexander | 2/3/2026
For years, beneficiaries could inherit a traditional IRA from a loved one and “stretch” it out by deferring unpaid income taxes for years or even decades with a life expectancy payout. The good times are largely over for many beneficiaries since the Secure Act and Secure Act 2.0 were passed in 2019 and 2022, respectively.… Read More

Peace of Mind: Estate Planning for Loved Ones with Special Needs

Washington State Estate Planning and Probate Lawyer Susan L. Alexander | 1/14/2026
Money can’t solve every problem, but financial security can make it much easier for a loved one with physical, intellectual, or developmental disabilities to have a superior quality of life. Special Needs Trusts are an excellent planning tool for creating lifelong financial security and stability for loved ones today and after we are no longer… Read More

Getting Divorced? Don’t Make Your Ex Your Accidental Heir

Washington State Estate Planning and Probate Lawyer Rachel J. Wright | 12/8/2025
You’re getting divorced. Life feels upside down. You have had enough dealing with the lawyers. The last thing you want to do is deal with more lawyers. But there is one lawyer you actually do want to talk to during a divorce: the estate planning kind. It might not be the end of your life… Read More

How Do You Nominate Fiduciaries?

Washington State Estate Planning and Probate Lawyer Sherry Bosse Lueders | 11/19/2025
A large part of making an estate plan is deciding who will be beneficiaries of your estate when you die. Estate planning may also include taking steps to minimize estate tax, preparing for the transfer of the family cabin to future generations, and deciding who gets your ukulele. Some people might say that is the… Read More

The State Doesn’t Want Your Stuff— But It Won’t Give It to Your Chosen Family

Washington State Estate Planning and Probate Lawyer Rachel J. Wright | 10/2/2025
Here’s a hard truth: the State of Washington doesn’t want your stuff when you die. Really, it doesn’t. The law goes out of its way to try to keep your estate in the family. So, what happens if you don’t have a will? Without a will, Washington’s intestacy laws run the show. And the law… Read More

Committed Intimate Relationships: Love Isn’t Enough

Washington State Estate Planning and Probate Lawyer Rachel J. Wright | 10/1/2025
Washington doesn’t have common-law marriage. You could live with someone for 30 years, share a home, raise kids, and introduce each other as husband or wife—but when it comes to inheritance, Washington law doesn’t see you as “married.” Instead, Washington recognizes something called a Committed Intimate Relationship (CIR). A CIR isn’t automatic, and it’s not… Read More