<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large">I have a couple of related scenario questions involving DSHS estate recovery actions -- I'd welcome any input! </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large"><div class="gmail_default"><span class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b>Scenario 1. Both spouses deceased.</b> Wife and husband had a complicated marriage, but never were never officially divorced or legally separated by the court before wife died in 2014. They signed a "Separation Agreement" in 1976, but in the document they agreed that all of their property would remain community property, including later acquired property, and that they would remain legally married. In 1988, wife quitclaimed to husband her share of husband's residence. Wife also had a residence, which she sold at some point before she died. In 1994, wife filed for dissolution, but case was dismissed for inaction in 1997. Wife died in 2014, after spending 7 years in adult family home paid for by medicaid. No probate was filed for wife, and we don't know if notice of wife's death was ever sent to DSHS. </span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">Husband then died in January 2020. His death certificate recited that he was "widowed" (not divorced).</span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">
Notice of husband's death was sent to DSHS in March 2020. </span><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"> We have received nothing from DSHS, going now on close to a year. Clients are just waiting for the shoe to drop. </span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b><br></b></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b style="text-decoration-line:underline">Question</b>: How do we know when/if DSHS is going to take action on this to enforce a lien for payment of wife's care against husband's estate? When should PR feel safe closing estate and distributing out assets? 4-month creditor claim period is now complete. </span></div></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large"><b>Scenario 2. Husband deceased in 2009, no lien ever filed, wife still living in residence. </b> DSHS client husband with several years of long term care paid by Medicaid. DSHS client husband dies in 2009 with a surviving spouse who continued to live in the residence. Residence titled in husband and wife's revocable living trust. No probate filed for DSHS client husband, but DSHS was (we think, based on a letter from the attorney at the time) sent notice of husband's death. DSHS didn't file a lien against the home in 2009, and still hasn't. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large"><u><br></u></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large"><u>Question 1: </u> I realize that DSHS won't initiate the <u>estate recovery action</u> until death of surviving spouse (or at least until surviving spouse stops living in residence, such as by relocating to long term care herself), but does that mean DSHS will also hold off on <u>filing a lien until death of surviving spouse</u>? Wondering if the lack of any lien being filed in 2009 means that there won't be a lien filed later, after surviving spouse's death? Did this family get a freebie?</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large"><u>Question 2</u>. Since death occurred in 2009, with no lien filed, is there a statute of limitations on DSHS ability to file a lien? Or is this always going to be dependent on the surviving spouse's life span and date of death? </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large"><u>Question 3</u>. I would guess that the general prohibition on imposing a statute of limitation in an action brought by the State of Washington (see <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"Open Sans",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">RCW </span><a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=4.16.160" class="gmail-ui-link" style="font-family:"Open Sans",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(43,103,77);text-decoration-line:none">4.16.160</a><span class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">) means that there is no time cut off on the state's ability to file a lien or initiate estate recovery. Has anyone dealt with DSHS on the application of <span style="font-family:"Open Sans",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:small">RCW </span><a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=4.16.160" class="gmail-ui-link" style="font-family:"Open Sans",Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:small;box-sizing:border-box;color:rgb(43,103,77);text-decoration-line:none">4.16.160</a> to estate recovery? </span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large">Thanks! </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:garamond,serif;font-size:large"><br></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><b><span style="color:black;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Sarah O’Farrell McCarthy</font></span></b></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font color="#000000" face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"><b>(Pronouns: she / her)<br></b></font><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Attorney | <font color="#000000">Kelly, Arndt & Walker, <font color="#000000">Attorneys at Law, PLLP</font></font><font color="#000000"></font></font><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125)"><br></span><span style="color:black"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">6443 Harding Avenue | <span style="color:black"><font color="#000000">P.O. Box 290 | <font color="#000000">Clinton, WA 98236</font></font></span></font></span></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><font color="#000000"><span style="color:black"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:black"><font color="#000000"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125)"></span></font></span></font></span><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">(Located on Whidbey Island, Island County, Washington)<br></font><span style="color:black"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Phone: (360) 341-1515 | Fax: (360) 341-3272</font><br><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125)"><a><font color="#222222" face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif">sarah@kawlawyers.com</font></a> <font color="#000000">| <span style="color:black"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125)"><font color="#000000"><a href="http://www.kawlawyers.com" target="_blank">www.kawlawyers.com</a></font></span></span></font></span></span></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><font color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:7.5pt"><br></span></font></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt"><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(31,73,125);font-size:7.5pt">This electronic message transmission contains information from the law firm of Kelly, Arndt & Walker, PLLP which may be confidential or privileged. 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This e-mail is NOT a contract and is not binding upon the author pursuant to CR 2A. This e-mail is, at most, a negotiation under ER 408.</font></span></p></font></font></font></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, Jan 28, 2021 at 6:34 AM Jeff Davis <<a href="mailto:jeff@bellanddavispllc.com">jeff@bellanddavispllc.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div lang="EN-US" style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div class="gmail-m_-6485714397168516659WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal">Listmates:<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Clients mother started receiving Medicaid benefits in 2006. DSHS filed lien against mom’s “unfinished” home in 2007. Mom died in 2010. DSHS has not foreclosed its lien. Is there a statute of limitations for DSHS to foreclose?<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal">Jeff<u></u><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">W. Jeff Davis, Esq.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma,sans-serif;color:black">BELL & DAVIS PLLC<br>P.O. Box 510<br>Sequim WA 98382<br>Phone No.:(360) 683.1129 <br>Fax No.: (360) 683.1258 <br>email: <a href="mailto:info@bellanddavispllc.com" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">info@bellanddavispllc.com</span></a><br><a href="http://www.bellanddavispllc.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">www.bellanddavispllc.com</span></a><br> <br>The information contained in this e-mail message may be privileged, confidential, and protected from disclosure. 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