Recent News

July 1 falls on a Wednesday this year, but it is anything but an ordinary Wednesday for Washington estate tax. July 1, 2026, is the date Washington’s estate tax rates are scheduled to change once again—and this time, the news is mostly good for estates of all sizes. Washington's estate tax has been in flux… Read More

In a related post, “Your Last Party: Why Funeral Planning Matters”, we talked about all the ways a person can make their grand exit: burial, cremation, composting, water cremation, space travel, tacos, dancing, and the critically important question of whether there should be an open mic at the celebration of life. Now comes the less… Read More

Funeral planning tends to fall into the same category as updating your estate plan, reviewing your insurance, or cleaning out the garage: everyone agrees it should probably happen, and almost everyone would rather do literally anything else. But here’s the thing. Your funeral, memorial, burial, cremation, composting, water-cremation, tree-planting, space-launching sendoff may be the only… Read More

In this webinar, Attorney Joshua G. Curtis discusses "June 2026 Changes to Probate Administration." Read More

Effective June 11, 2026, the legislature updated the probate statute for probates of estates where the decedent did not have a will.  The changes generally attempt to increase transparency in the probate process and ensure that the heirs and beneficiaries of an estate receive as much as they are entitled to.  In the past, some… Read More

The legislature updated the probate statute for probates of estates where the decedent did not have a will.  One change is to the petition for Letters of Administration.  Previously, the petitioner only needed to recite that the assets of the estate will exceed the debts of the estate and that the estate will remain solvent… Read More

In this webinar, Attorney Rachel J. Wright discusses "Due Diligence: A Practical Guide to Protecting Yourself Before You Sign" Read More

In this webinar, Attorney Susan L. Alexander discusses "Guardianship Issues in Washington" Read More

Learning that a loved one has been diagnosed with “mild cognitive impairment” can be a scary moment for families, and the first instinct can be to try to immediately prevent the affected person from making further medical and financial decisions.   While well-intentioned, this doesn’t necessarily follow Washington law.  In Washington state, legal capacity is presumed… Read More