Recent News

Effective January 1, 2020, this new law will prohibit all noncompetition agreements for employees whose W-2 earnings are less than $100,000 annually, and for independent contractors paid less than $250,000 per year. The legislation states that those amounts will be adjusted annually for inflation, just one aspect of this law which could pose a headache for… Read More

If you are in a divorce process, you have to think outside the box when you consider division of your estate—your estate may be more than just homes, cars, investments, and retirement accounts. Think about the activities, vacations, and other benefits you’ve enjoyed together, and you may find there are additional items up for discussion.… Read More

In a marriage dissolution, individuals frequently ask what assets and debts are subject to the Court’s orders in a divorce.  All separate and community property is subject to division and distribution in a divorce.  As such, it is important to understand what is a spouse’s separate property versus what is the marital community property.  Courts… Read More

What is a Committed Intimate Relationship? In Washington State, common-law marriage—legal recognition of marriage without having formally registered their relationship—is not lawful.  However, Washington courts have adopted a definition for a long-term, unmarried relationship known as a committed intimidate relationship (“CIR”). The existence of a CIR creates a presumption that all property acquired during the… Read More

“I am involved in an estate dispute as an heir/beneficiary of the disputed estate… what do I do?” Throughout my years counseling individuals through the resolution of their estate disputes, this question has occurred frequently.  As an heir or beneficiary in a disputed estate, it is always recommended to hire an attorney, even if only… Read More

The lawyers and staff at Beresford Booth are blessed to be involved with many special organizations throughout the greater Pacific Northwest.  This month, given that April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, we think it highly appropriate to highlight Dawson Place.  Dawson Place seeks to help children victimized by sexual and physical abuse and specializes in… Read More

We Are a Primerus Firm For many years Beresford Booth has held a membership in Primerus, an international society of independent law firms.  Such an honor does not come easily, nor is it something our firm takes lightly: earning a Primerus membership requires a consistent commitment to excellence. As a Primerus firm, we hold connections… Read More

For various reasons, testators frequently distribute portions of their estate to their kids, heirs, and loved ones before they die.  Reasons can vary from reducing or avoiding taxes to simply recognizing an heir’s greater need for financial help in the moment.  Questions often arise later concerning how the distribution should be characterized, such as: Were… Read More

Washington law allows a person to dispose of certain kinds of tangible personal property at their death in a writing separate from their last will and testament.  For purposes of the law, “tangible personal property” is defined as “articles of personal or household use or ornament,” such as furniture, furnishings, cars, boats, jewelry, art, and… Read More