[WSBAPT] Old Will - Disinherited all blood heirs....now what?

[Lewis, Amy C.]

Brent,

                Take a look at the attached pages (starting with the bottom of page 260) from my old version of Reutlinger and Oltman on Washington Law of Wills and Intestate Succession (one of my partners is currently using the newer version for trial prep 😊).  It confirms that for disinheritance by Will to be effective, the Will has to name an alternative beneficiary.


Amy Lewis, Attorney
Pronouns she/her/hers
[cid:Logo_fa335a1d-9f24-4802-a3dd-b58f259e3c98.png]

909 A Street, Suite 600 | Tacoma, WA 98402
phone 253.572.4500 | fax 253.272.5732 | www.eisenhowerlaw.com<http://www.eisenhowerlaw.com/>
From: Lewis, Amy C.
Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2026 4:38 PM
To: 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <wsbapt at lists.wsbarppt.com>
Subject: RE: [WSBAPT] Old Will - Disinherited all blood heirs....now what?

I don’t think the disinheritance is effective if he did not designate other beneficiaries in the Will.  The Will is essentially ineffective, and the estate is intestate.  My understanding is that type of language in a Will does not override the rules of intestacy.

From: wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com> <wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:wsbapt-bounces at lists.wsbarppt.com>> On Behalf Of Brent Williams-Ruth
Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2026 12:27 PM
To: WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <WSBAPT at lists.wsbarppt.com<mailto:WSBAPT at lists.wsbarppt.com>>
Subject: [WSBAPT] Old Will - Disinherited all blood heirs....now what?

Listmates -

I have a new probate, Executor is the Decedent's Grandson.

He and I were talking and he brought up the issue of his Grandmother's Brother - we shall call him X.

X died, single with no children months before his sibling (my Decedent). My Decedent was his only surviving sibling.

My Executor found a properly executed Will among X's possessions from 1982. It is paraphrased to say:  I give everything to my loving mother.  I expressly disinherit my father and three siblings and all of their heirs and descendants.

X's mother died a long while back. My client has no idea if his Great Grandmother had any other family - we can say there is no connection to anyone from that extended branch of the family tree.

There is about $15,000 spread across a Charles Schwab account, a Bank of America account, and another investment/retirement account at Franklin & Templeton.

I am open to ideas - everyone that my client knows is someone who has been expressly disinherited.

Appreciate your insights.

Brent

Brent Williams-Ruth (pronouns: he/him)
Attorney-At-Law

Law Offices of Brent Williams-Ruth, a division of BWR Consulting, PLLC

Physical Address: 500 S 336th Street, Suite 214; Federal Way, WA 98003

Mailing Address: PO BOX 3319; Federal Way, WA 98063

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