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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>I just saw this. I have gotten many questions from people hounded by taxes and reading about trusts, etc. Some are of course outright tax shelter frauds but even those that aren’t don’t protect against known creditors. One thing that I think can work, if not abused, is selling something on a contract to a third party with what they call a handshake under the table that it will be reconveyed at a later date. But installment payments have to be made on an arms length price and you have to see the light at the end of the tunnel to take back or it isn’t worth doing. But a boat or something of high value, but a house where you still live, even if you pay rent is an invitation to challenge. <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 <b>On Behalf Of </b>John Creahan<br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, September 14, 2020 7:10 PM<br><b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Asset Protection Trust (Medical Bills)<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#595959'>Hi Brent,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#595959'>I am sorry to hear about your friend.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#595959'>I am not aware of any way that a person can set up and fund a trust to protect those assets from current creditors. To the best of my knowledge, those states that allow a debtor to “protect” assets in an “asset protection trust” only do so if the trust was funded when the grantor was not aware of a need for such a trust. In other words, a debtor cannot fund an asset protection trust in order to protect those assets from a known creditor or creditors. In fact, doing so might be illegal – and an attorney who assists a client in committing a crime can wind up in very serious trouble.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#595959'>For what its worth, even if the client pre-funded an out of state asset protection trust, a Washington court would probably pierce the trust and allow a creditor to reach the assets.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#595959'>I would strongly encourage your potential client to speak with a good bankruptcy attorney to see what protections might be available. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#595959'>Hope this helps,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#595959'>John<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#595959'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#595959'>John Creahan</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#595959'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#595959'><a href="http://www.cairn-law.com/"><span style='color:#595959'>www.cairn-law.com</span></a><br>206-578-5877<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#595959'>Fremont office:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#595959'>3417 Evanston Ave. N, Suite 312<br>Seattle, WA 98103</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Tw Cen MT",sans-serif;color:#4F6228'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#595959'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#595959'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><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>Brent Williams-Ruth<br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, September 14, 2020 4:09 PM<br><b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <<a href="mailto:WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com">WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Asset Protection Trust (Medical Bills)<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Greetings List - <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>I have a PC who is a friend of an existing client. They are seeking a discussion regarding a pure asset protection trust (not for medicaid qualification) because of piling up medical bills relating to cancer treatment. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>My knowledge of this is that they are disfavored in Washington, but I am sure there must be SOME way to do it - if this is a good referral for you, please let me know and I will pass along your information. The PC is located in the Tacoma area. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Thank you!<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt;line-height:13.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>brent<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div><div><div><p><b><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Brent Williams-Ruth</span></b><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> <br><i>Attorney-At-Law</i></span><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Law Offices of Brent Williams-Ruth, </span></b><b><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>a division of BWR Consulting, PLLC</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Office/Scheduling Phone:<span style='color:#004080'> </span>(425) 830-5134</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Direct Mobile: (206) 889-7919</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><a href="mailto:Brent@Williams-RuthLaw.com" target="_blank">e-mail</a> / <a href="http://www.Williams-RuthLaw.com/" target="_blank">website</a> /</span><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/bwrconsults" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>facebook</span></a><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'> / </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:red;background:white'>As of July 1, 2019 - I began operating as the Law Offices of Brent Williams-Ruth a division of BWR Consulting, PLLC. Please note the new points of contact <a href="mailto:Brent@Williams-RuthLaw.com">Brent@Williams-RuthLaw.com</a> and <a href="http://www.Williams-RuthLaw.com" target="_blank">www.Williams-RuthLaw.com</a> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>