[WSBAPT] Duty to Deliver Assets to "wife"

[Amy Goertz]

Good Morning,

I had a caller today whose neighbor died several months ago. He had very little, but had an old car and an RV that he gave to the caller and her husband before he died.

He had a bank account with about $20k, which had a TOD beneficiary of his Aunt, which was paid directly to the Aunt by the bank.

He had a newer car with an outstanding loan - that vehicle was repossessed by the bank.

She received a call from a woman who was just released from prison and is purporting to be this man’s wife and says she wants his stuff.

When they cleaned out his rental home, they found tax returns for the last several years that all indicate “single” as his status. 

They found an Idaho marriage license from 2004 but no marriage certificate.

She is uncertain of what her duty to deliver or not deliver the assets to the “wife.” She called the police about the situation and the police officer said the wife did not have to prove her status to her.

Any suggestions? She does not want this newly released from prison woman coming around for the belongings but also wants to do what is right.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Amy

Amy J. Goertz, J.D.
Goertz & Lambrecht PLLC
amyjgoertz at icloud.com <mailto:amyjgoertz at icloud.com> 

1.888.926.2607 phone
1.877.684.1627 fax

Address for correspondence:
2829 S. Grand Blvd., Suite 303
Spokane, WA 99203 

Additional office locations:
510 Bell Street
Edmonds, WA 98020

Goertz & Lambrecht PLLC
www.goertzlambrecht.com <http://www.goertzlambrecht.com/>







-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/wsbapt/attachments/20250319/4c0f3dce/attachment.html>