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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif">Thanks, everyone, for your help with this.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black">Lisa E. Schuchman<br>
206-960-4212<br>
<a href="http://www.lisaschuchman.com/" target="_blank">www.lisaschuchman.com</a><br>
<br>
I learn, I give. – Gloria Steinem<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black">NOTE: I do not use encrypted email. Messages sent to or from my office via email are not secure and may not be protected by attorney-client privilege. This email address
is not monitored at all times. If your matter is urgent, please phone my office during regular business hours.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black">Any tax advice included in this document and its attachments was not intended or written to be used, and it cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties under
the Internal Revenue Code.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:24.0pt;font-family:Webdings;color:green">P</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow",sans-serif;color:green">
</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><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Eric Nelsen<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, August 23, 2017 12:36 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Long-term relationship, short-term marriage, death<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">House is "community-like" property under the committed intimate relationship doctrine, unless there was a deed recorded during marriage to make it community property. The probate court, if it comes to that, must
make a "fair and equitable division" of all community-like property between the decedent and the survivor. As Mike Winslow suggested, if everyone can agree on a division then it should be done as a TEDRA to make it binding. If they can't agree, the court has
to essentially "divorce" the couple as to all property onerously acquired during the relationship.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">On a 44 year relationship, I would argue that a "fair and equitable" division would track ordinary community property law, and all community-like property should be deemed as belonging to the survivor, and none
of it is included in the decedent's estate. Obviously that has serious tax implications (no step-up in basis) and sounds kind of odd given that certainly wouldn't be the result in an actual property division from a breakup of the relationship--but again, on
a policy basis I would argue that "fair and equitable" at death of a partner substantially differs from "fair and equitable" when both are alive and need assets with which to continue their lives apart.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">As Mike said--it gets complicated.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Eric<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">SAYRE LAW OFFICES, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">phone 206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">fax 206-625-9040<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:red">Please Note that We Have Moved.</span></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">
</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">We have moved our Seattle office to Mount Baker Ridge (a small commercial community just above the I-90 tunnel).
<b>Our new address is 1417 31st Avenue South, Seattle WA 98144. </b>All other contact information remains the same.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<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">
<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>On Behalf Of </b>Lisa E Schuchman<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, August 22, 2017 3:16 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Long-term relationship, short-term marriage, death<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif">A client lived with his domestic partner for 44 years, and they married less than a year ago. The partner bought a house a few years before they started to live together and died
recently without a will. The closest blood relatives are siblings. I think that the house is community property and the surviving spouse is entitled to the entire estate, which is mostly the house. Does anyone disagree? Either way, are the siblings entitled
to notice? <sub><o:p></o:p></sub></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif">Thanks,
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black">Lisa E. Schuchman<br>
206-960-4212<br>
<a href="http://www.lisaschuchman.com/" target="_blank">www.lisaschuchman.com</a><br>
<br>
I learn, I give. – Gloria Steinem<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black">NOTE: I do not use encrypted email. Messages sent to or from my office via email are not secure and may not be protected by attorney-client privilege. This email address
is not monitored at all times. If your matter is urgent, please phone my office during regular business hours.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:black">Any tax advice included in this document and its attachments was not intended or written to be used, and it cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties under
the Internal Revenue Code.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:24.0pt;font-family:Webdings;color:green">P</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial Narrow",sans-serif;color:green">
</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><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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