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

Tue May 5 17:10:45 PDT 2026

Thank you!

This will help them be able to use a small estate affidavit. This is
greatly helpful.

*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 *

Office/Scheduling Phone: (253) 285-7751

For All Meetings & Scheduling: info at williams-ruthlaw.com

e-mail <Brent at Williams-RuthLaw.com> / website
<http://www.williams-ruthlaw.com/> / facebook
<http://www.facebook.com/bwrlaw> /

On Tue, May 5, 2026 at 4:48 PM Lewis, Amy C. <ALewis at eisenhowerlaw.com>
wrote:

> 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
>
> 909 A Street, Suite 600 | Tacoma, WA 98402
> phone 253.572.4500 | fax 253.272.5732 | 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 <
> 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>
> *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 *
>
> Office/Scheduling Phone: (253) 285-7751
>
> For All Meetings & Scheduling: info at williams-ruthlaw.com
>
> e-mail <Brent at Williams-RuthLaw.com> / website
> <http://www.williams-ruthlaw.com/> / facebook
> <http://www.facebook.com/bwrlaw> /
>
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