<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'>Husband and Wife are and have always been residents of Oregon. H&W own rural real estate in Washington. H&W bought a Share in a Washington Nonprofit Association that provides water service to the WA real property. Both husband and wife have died, not simultaneously, leaving mirror wills that provided 100% to surviving spouse, then equally between adult kids. There are concurrent probates open in Oregon and in Washington. We are trying figure out whether the water share is includable in the Oregon probate estate accounting for the first spouse to die, and whether transfer of ownership needs to be done by the Oregon or the Washington executors - who are the same actual people, but with Letters issued by differing courts and different attorneys for each state matter.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'>Leaving aside the community property issues, since this is an Oregon couple, Washington recognizes ownership either as: 1) tenants in common or 2) joint tenants with right of survivorship (if expressly declared on the deed or other title document).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'>As I understand it, Oregon also has tenants in common, joint tenants (also required to be expressly declared), and tenancy by the entirety. Tenancy by the entirety provides for an automatic right of survivorship for the surviving spouse, and is presumed when married couples take title together and don’t expressly provide that ownership is taken “as tenants in common.” Can title to personal property be taken as tenancy by the entirety? I believe it only apply to real estate interests?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'>Title in the water share was taken as plain-vanilla just in names of the spouses “John Doe and Jane Doe” only. No mention of “as husband and wife” or “as joint tenants” or “as tenant by the entirety” or “as tenants in common” on the ownership documents.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'>Ownership of WA real estate within the boundaries of the water district is a prerequisite to being approved to acquire a water share. However, the water share itself should be an intangible personal property right, not real estate. So, I’m thinking that choice of law and control over the administration of the asset puts the water share in Oregon determining ownership interests of the first-to-die spouse and the second-to-die spouse, jurisdiction of the probate over the asset, and inheritance procedure for transfer - not Washington.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'>If tenancy by the entirety isn’t allowed or presumed for the intangible personal property, then it seems the water share should be owned by H&W as tenants in common with 50% owned by the first spouse’s estate, included on the Oregon accounting and inventory. Not the Washington Inventory. And ultimately transferred by the Oregon executors.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'>Am I analyzing this cross-border issue correctly?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'>This one is starting to sound something like a bar exam question.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'>Tara M. Roberts<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'>Puget Sound Law pllc<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'>roberts@pugetsoundlaw.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'>******************************<br>The information contained in this email may be privileged and confidential information intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of the email is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please notify us immediately and delete the original message and any copies you may have. Thank you.<br>******************************<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>