<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>I don't disagree with you Sam, looking only at the statute it requires the trust to be followed and if the trust is silent as to revocation or amendment then it is treated as a codicil. As with every case, who is complaining and who will challenge if the trustee adheres to the changes. Maybe all the beneficiaries want the changes. </div><div><br></div><div>I was (simplistically) only pointing the question to what I thought was the applicable statute with an uninformed opinion to boot.<br><br>Sent from my iPhone ~ Paul H. Grant</div><div><br>On Jul 30, 2015, at 12:55 PM, Sam Furgason <<a href="mailto:sam@furgasons.com">sam@furgasons.com</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Arial Narrow";
panose-1:2 11 6 6 2 2 2 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
p.MsoNoSpacing, li.MsoNoSpacing, div.MsoNoSpacing
{mso-style-priority:1;
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
p.Body, li.Body, div.Body
{mso-style-name:Body;
mso-style-priority:99;
margin-top:6.0pt;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
text-indent:.5in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;}
span.EmailStyle161
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;}
span.EmailStyle171
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:#1F497D;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;
font-weight:normal;
font-style:normal;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Paul,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">I wouldn’t be too sure about the unenforceability. Living trusts have been looked at as will substitutes, so some of the doctrines of will interpretation might apply. I think the trustor, who was also the trustee at the time, has complied with the trust’s requirement of delivery to the trustee since s/he is the trustee, and with the requirement for writing by amending the trust on its face. S/he should not be required to agree with herself/himself by written acceptance; a court could be guided by the oft-repeated maxim, now set out in RCW 11.12.230, that the decedent’s intent should be honored. The modification of the trust could be considered “</span></font><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">substantial compliance with a method provided in the terms of the trust” (RCW 11.103.030(3)(a). Analogously, Washington courts have held that minor strike-outs on wills do not amount to revocation of the will, and should be considered partial revocations only, with the rest of the instrument being enforceable. I think I’d want some court guidance on this, or at least written agreement by all affected parties, before carrying out distributions. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">My thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Samuel L. Furgason<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Samuel L. Furgason, Inc, PS<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">(Not accepting new business)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">10655 N.E. 4<sup>th</sup> Street, Suite 701<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Bellevue, Washington 98004<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">MAIL TO:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">PO Box 102<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Medina, WA 98039-0102<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Work: (425) 649-1122<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Cell: (425) 445-9909<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Email: <a href="mailto:sam@furgasons.com">sam@furgasons.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;font-weight:bold">From:</span></font></b><font size="2" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> <a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> [<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>] <b><span style="font-weight:bold">On Behalf Of </span></b>Paul Grant<br><b><span style="font-weight:bold">Sent:</span></b> Thursday, July 30, 2015 10:43 AM<br><b><span style="font-weight:bold">To:</span></b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <<a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br><b><span style="font-weight:bold">Subject:</span></b> Re: [WSBAPT] trust amendment<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">see rcw 11.103.030 - in essence the trust rules the day. Notes on the trust are not amendments unless the trust specifies they are accepted. With the information provided I would say the notes are unenforceable. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><br clear="all"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><br>Paul H. Grant - JD, LL.M<br><br>Planning with Purpose, Inc<br>Lynnwood, WA 98036<br>425-939-9948<br><a href="http://www.planningwithpurposeinc.com" target="_blank">www.planningwithpurposeinc.com</a><br><br>Estate Planning. Business Planning. Wealth Succession.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><div><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">On Wed, Jul 29, 2015 at 12:34 PM, Marilyn J Kliman <<a href="mailto:marilyn@marilynjklimanlaw.com" target="_blank">marilyn@marilynjklimanlaw.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p><blockquote style="border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in"><div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Listmates – </span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Client is Trustee of decedent’s RLT. </span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Trust document states that settlor “…may at any time …amend any of the terms of this trust by a written document delivered to the trustee.” Decedent (as settlor/trustee) made multiple handwritten edits on the trust document over the years. There are no dates, signatures or notarization, none of which, obviously, are required by terms of the trust.</span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">My question is, are these unenforceable amendments, or valid if proven to be in decedent’s handwriting?</span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">(Apologies to folks on both listserves)</span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Thank you,</span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Marilyn</span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Arial"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;background:white;font-weight:bold">Marilyn J. Kliman, Attorney at Law</span></font></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;background:white">Marilyn J. Kliman Law, PLLC</span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;background:white">510 Bell Street</span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;background:white">Edmonds, WA 98020</span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;background:white"><a href="tel:206.499.0993" target="_blank">206.499.0993</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;background:white"><a href="mailto:Marilyn@MarilynJKlimanLaw.com" target="_blank">Marilyn@MarilynJKlimanLaw.com</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;background:white"><a href="http://www.marilynjklimanlaw.com/" target="_blank">www.MarilynJKlimanLaw.com</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="2" color="#333333" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#333333;background:white">“<b><span style="font-weight:bold">Those who lack humor are without judgment and should be trusted with nothing.” </span></b></span></font><i><font size="2" color="#333333"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#333333;font-style:italic"> Clive James</span></font></i><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="1" face="Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow",sans-serif;background:#FFFF66">NOTICE: </span></font><i><font size="1" face="Arial Narrow"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow",sans-serif;background:white;font-style:italic">Information contained in this email may be confidential and/or legally protected from disclosure. Our understanding is that intended recipients consent to use of e-mail unless we are notified otherwise in writing. If you are neither the intended recipient nor an employee or agent of the intended recipient, any unauthorized dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer.</span></font></i><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></font><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p><div class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><hr size="2" width="99%" noshade="" style="color:#909090" align="center"></span></font></div><table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0in 11.25pt 0in 6.0pt"><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><a href="https://www.avast.com/antivirus" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration:none"><img border="0" id="_x0000_i1026" src="http://static.avast.com/emails/avast-mail-stamp.png" alt="Avast logo"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p></td><td style="padding:.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt"><p><font size="3" color="#3d4d5a" face="Calibri"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#3D4D5A">This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. <br><a href="https://www.avast.com/antivirus" target="_blank">www.avast.com</a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><br>_______________________________________________<br>WSBAPT mailing list<br><a href="mailto:WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com">WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><br><a href="http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbapt" target="_blank">http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbapt</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p></blockquote></div><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p></div></div></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div><span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span>WSBAPT mailing list</span><br><span><a href="mailto:WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com">WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com</a></span><br><span><a href="http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbapt">http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbapt</a></span></div></blockquote></body></html>