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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>I have used Small Estate Affidavits where the beneficiary, or default beneficiary is the estate. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I’ve only once run into a situation that named the heirs directly, rather than the estate, as the default. It was an IRA where the mail order bride in Romania had divorced the decedent before he died. The problem was the decedent had been estranged from the rest of his family back East for over 30 years. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I think the attorneys for the insurers/IRA custodians think they’re doing a favor to protect the proceeds from creditor claims. But it can be a major headache, and result ultimately in escheat.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>John J. Sullivan<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Jane Bitz<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, July 27, 2018 2:11 PM<br><b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Can a small estate affidavit be used to claim a life insurance policy with no living beneficiary designated?<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The last one of these I dealt with, the policy itself said that it should be paid to the “next of kin” under the State law of the decedent’s domicile. We had to provide death certificates for the decedent’s mother and brother who were the named primary and secondary beneficiaries and a copy of her obituary showing her living and deceased siblings. The policy proceeds then went to the decedent’s surviving sisters and her nieces & nephews by representation for the deceased siblings shares. This was a very old Massachusetts Life policy now owned by MetLife.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jane.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>Jane G Bitz<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>Of Counsel<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>Wolff, Hislop & Crockett, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>12209 E Mission, Suite 5<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>Spokane Valley WA 99206-4824<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>(509) 927-9700; FAX (509) 777-1800<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><a href="mailto:jane@jbitzlaw.com">jbitz@whc-attorneys.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D'><img border=0 width=346 height=174 style='width:3.6041in;height:1.8125in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D425D5.73E97B10" alt="cid:image002.png@01D06C8A.419B0730"></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#2F5496'>THE CONTENTS OF THIS ELECTRONIC MAIL ARE CONFIDENTIAL AND PROTECTED BY THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE OR OTHER APPLICABLE PROTECTION. Any review, use, distribution or disclosure by others is strictly prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail in error, PLEASE NOTIFY ME BY E-MAIL, FAX OR TELEPHONE and PROMPTLY DELETE this electronic mail. This mail cannot be modified without express written consent of Wolff, Hislop & Crockett, PLLC. Thank You.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Eric Reutter<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, July 27, 2018 12:27 PM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><br><b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Can a small estate affidavit be used to claim a life insurance policy with no living beneficiary designated?<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Hi all,<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>I encountered an issue for which I have not yet found a good answer. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Simple and common situation: decedent passed away with a small (well under $100,000) life insurance policy for which no living beneficiary was named (all beneficiaries listed had predeceased the decedent). I haven't been given the policy yet, but I am making the assumption that the policy will say that the death benefit is now payable to the estate by default.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>My question is, assuming all the threshold criteria of the small estate affidavit are met (under 100k, debts disposed of, etc...) can the small estate affidavit be presented to the life insurance company as authority for them to distribute to the surviving family member? (Thereby avoiding the need to open probate for just this small insurance benefit)<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>I am familiar with this small estate procedure when it comes to a bank account, but less so with a life insurance contract that likely defaults to being payable to the estate if no living beneficiary is named.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>If anyone has experience using a small estate affidavit with a life insurance death benefit, I would be very grateful to hear you thoughts!<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Best regards, <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b>Eric Reutter</b><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><i>J.D., LL.M. Taxation</i><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Lake Hills Estate Planning, PLLC <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='color:black'><a href="x-apple-data-detectors://3/0">10900 NE 8th Street, Suite 1000</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><a href="x-apple-data-detectors://3/0">Bellevue, WA 98004</a><br><a href="http://www.lakehillsestateplanning.com/" target="_blank">www.lakehillsestateplanning.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="tel:(425)%20298-5895"><span style='color:black'>(425) 298-5895</span></a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>This e-mail and the attachments within is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. secs. <a href="tel:2510-2521">2510-2521</a>, and is legally privileged and confidential. This communication may also be protected by attorney-client privilege, the work product doctrine or other applicable legal protections. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, the reader is hereby notified that any unauthorized review, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. <b> </b><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>