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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana">I have an estate planning client that would like to amend the ultimate distribution provisions of a revocable living trust that she and her husband created seven years ago. The proposed changed distributions
are for distributions after both Trustors are deceased, it does not affect distributions while either Trustor is living. The Husband now has dementia and is not able to execute any estate planning documents. This is my first experience with a Trust that authorizes
one of the Trustors to make amendments so I have a couple questions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana">I read RCW 11.103.030 to allow amendment by one of the Trustors ONLY if the trust agreement specifically authorizes… “If a revocable trust is created or funded by more than one trustor and
<b>unless the trust agreement provides otherwise: </b>(a) To the extent the trust consists of community property, the trust may be … amended only by joint action of both spouses…;”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana">The current document has the following provisions regarding amendment:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana"> ARTICLE III<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:Verdana">“Upon the death or permanent incapacity of either of the Trustors, as the term incapacity is defined in Article VI hereunder, the surviving Trustor or the Trustor having the ability
to exercise the capacity to amend or revoke this Trust agreement shall have the authority to amend or revoke the Agreement in whole or in part as the surviving Trustor or the Trustor having capacity if one Trustor is incapacitated deems appropriate.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:Verdana"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:Verdana">ARTICLE VI<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:Verdana">Incapacitated Trustor is incapacitated as defined in Article VI, however, this Article also provides:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:Verdana"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:Verdana">“Should either Trustor be incapacitated, then the other Trustor shall act as the agent for the marital community in exercising the rights reserved to the Trustors by Article III;
provided, no amendment or direction concerning distributions shall impair the rights of the incapacitated Trustor.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana">My questions are 1) Is my reading of the statute correct so that an amendment in this case by only one Trustor is authorized? And 2) Would an amendment changing the ultimate beneficiaries be considered
to “impair the rights of the incapacitated Trustor” such that it would not be permissible under the above Article VI limitations?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana">If anyone has any insight on amending in these circumstances I would really appreciate your thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana">Kristina</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#006F37">Kristina S. DeVore | Attorney & Counselor at Law</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#006F37">KRISTINA DEVORE LAW FIRM, pllc | P.O. BOX 87625 | Vancouver, WA 98687</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#006F37">Phone: (360) 695-0535 | Kristina@devore-law.com</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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