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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>This is something I run into all the time. A creditor's claim, in the context of a marriage, is almost always about a community debt. The creditor has a claim against the Estate for payment, but it is also a claim against the surviving spouse as a community debt. So whatever you do to eliminate the creditor's claim in the estate, you haven't solved her problem:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#212121;background:white'>"The liability of property of spouses or domestic partners held by them as community property to execution in satisfaction of a claim enforceable against such property so held shall not be affected by the death of either or both spouses or either or both domestic partners; and a cause of action shall remain an asset as though both claiming spouses or both claiming domestic partners continued to live despite the death of either or both claiming spouses or both claiming domestic partners." </span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#212121'>RCW 4.20.046.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#212121'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#212121'>The way to beat this is with the family support allowance, chapter 11.54, which specifically exempts particular debts from execution if it applies. In your case, it may not be worth it to try that approach. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#212121'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#212121'>On the other hand, it is incredible to me how many creditors there are who tell you, after they learn that the primary debtor spouse is deceased, that they will only seek recovery from the estate and not the other spouse. Usually this comes from out of state, and it may be explained by unfamiliarity with community property laws here. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#212121'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#212121'>Rob<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#212121'><br><br></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Robert D. Wilson-Hoss <br>Hoss & Wilson-Hoss, LLP <br>236 West Birch Street <br>Shelton, WA 98584 <br>360 426-2999<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><a href="www.hossandwilsonhoss.com">www.hossandwilson-hoss.com</a><br><a href="mailto:rob@hctc.com">rob@hctc.com</a></span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>This message is intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain information that is privileged, confidential, and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the addressee, you are hereby notified that any use, distribution, or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify us by reply e-mail or by telephone (call us collect at the number listed above) and immediately delete this message and any and all of its attachments. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;text-transform:uppercase'>This office does debt collection and this e-mail may be an attempt to collect a debt, Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. </span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>To the extent the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (15 U.S.C. § 1692) applies this firm is acting as a debt collector for the condominium/homeowners' association named above to collect a debt owed to it. Any information obtained will be used for collection purposes. You have the right to seek advice of legal counsel.</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><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>Krista MacLaren<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, July 13, 2017 5:09 PM<br><b>To:</b> wsba probate & trust<br><b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] creditor claim<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hi Folks,<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>I represented a W as PR of her husband’s estate. Before she hired me, she went out of her way to pay all of his bills - lots of bills I would have told her not to pay. She was absolutely certain there were no other creditors, and did not want to provide notice to creditors, since there were none. ;) We closed the probate fairly quickly because it was only needed for transferring the house. Now there is a creditor who submitted a bill for $8,000 for I think a medical expense. She never saw a bill from them until now.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>I know that the creditor has 2 years from date of death (which is more than a year away), but I am wondering whether I can tell my client that she is responsible for the bill if it is legitimate, but also tell her she can “play dumb”, calling the company and saying that her husband’s probate is closed and done and it’s too late, and let the creditor investigate about whether it is really too late? Is there anything wrong with this approach? I don’t know whether my client would feel comfortable with this strategy, but I am wondering whether other lawyers view it as acceptable or unethical?<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you,<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Krista J. MacLaren<br>Attorney at Law<br>Northgate Executive Center II<br>9725 3rd Ave NE, Suite 600<br>Seattle, WA 98115<br>(206)523-6116<br><a href="mailto:kjm.inc@mac.com">kjm.inc@mac.com</a><br><br>Please note, as with most email providers, Mac does not encrypt email messages. Accordingly, the confidentiality of messages sent to this address cannot be assured. This e-mail is intended for viewing only by the individual or entity to whom its content is addressed, and it may contain confidential or privileged information. If you received this email in error, please honor the privacy of the intended recipient: reply to the sender regarding the error and delete the message. </span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></body></html>