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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"">I tried this argument once with a life insurance company and a guardianship is required, but no GAL.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Lisa E. Schuchman<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"">206-325-2801<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><a href="http://www.lisaschuchman.com"><span style="color:blue">www.lisaschuchman.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif"">Education is what you get when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get when you don’t. -Pete Seeger</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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</span><b><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#008100">Please consider the trees before printing this document</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Garamond","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Marketa Vorel<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Sunday, May 17, 2015 12:31 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Life insurance comapany requires parent of minors to be appointed guardian<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Dear Listmates, <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I have very little experience with guardianship of minors and the case law seems a bit thin on this issue. <b>Is a surviving parent of minor children required to undergo guardianship proceedings in order to manage the minors' assets?</b>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The client is mother of two minor beneficiaries on a life insurance policy established by her deceased spouse (the insured). The life insurance company demands "guardianship papers for the finances of minor beneficiaries" before pay out.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Client and deceased were a legally married (same-sex), client adopted both children at birth and has been their legal parent since then. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The insured also appointed client as the children’s guardian in her will and established a testamentary trust under which any funds due to the minors shall be received and administered. The insured’s will has been admitted to probate and
its provisions are irrevocable and in full force and effect. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">UTMA/RCW 11.114.050, seems to give authority for client to receive and manage the proceeds of the insurance policy without further court proceedings. Specifically, the statute provides that transfers will be “authorized by a will if the
testator has nominated a guardian under RCW 11.114.030 to receive custodial property” and that a “custodian nominated under that section shall be a person to whom a transfer of property of that kind may be made under RCW 11.114.090.” <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">AIG refuses to budge and insists on a court appointed guardian. It seems like the issue of a parent being the de-facto and automatic guardian would be a settled one, without requiring the surviving parent to go to court to demonstrate
guardianship of her own children. What am I missing? <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you in advance for any wisdom,<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">M.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">-- <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:7.5pt">Law Office of Marketa Vorel</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt">1520 K Avenue</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt">Anacortes, WA 98221</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt">206.799.0541</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:7.5pt"><a href="mailto:marketa.vorel@gmail.com" target="_blank">marketa.vorel@gmail.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
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