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<p class="MsoNormal">Hi Dalynne,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At this point, it is an issue for the insurance company.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our opinion (my view is no guardian) may or may not sway the company.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In my experience, the insurance company will interplead the funds when any issues arise. Interpleaders (IMHO) are a good thing and convenient. Everyone gets notice and can take whatever position they think appropriate. Typically, an issue
resolved on the pleadings, fast and inexpensive.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Bruce Moen<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-ligatures:none">From:</span></b><span style="mso-ligatures:none"> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Dalynne Singleton<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, May 12, 2023 8:40 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv' <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Life insurance default beneficiary<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">My client (partner of decedent) has received notice that her partner’s life insurance policy has no beneficiary. The default from the life insurance company is not to pay
into the Estate but to pay in the following order – there is no spouse or children. The biological father has not been in the decedent’s life for 20 years AND an uncle was her legal guardian. The mother of the decedent predeceased her. Is surviving “parent
or parents” the legal guardian and not the biological father? I wanted to see if anyone has any input on this issue. Probate and family law issues seem to be overlapping for me lately.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">The above referenced policy includes a provision that if the Insured Person did not name a Beneficiary, or if no named Beneficiary survives the Insured Person; then payment
will be made based upon the following vesting order:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">1) to a surviving spouse; or if none<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">2) to the surviving child or children in equal shares; or, if none<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">3) to the surviving parent or parents in equal shares; or, if none<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">4) to the surviving brothers or sisters in equal shares: or, if none<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">5) to the estate, or in accord with the Facility of Payment section of this Policy<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">RCW 11.02.005 (11) indicates the parent would be an “adoptive” parent but no indication if “legal guardian” is also the parent for purposes of life insurance:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif;color:red">(11) "Issue" means all the lineal descendants of an individual. An adopted individual is a lineal descendant of each of his or her adoptive parents and of all individuals
with regard to which each adoptive parent is a lineal descendant. </span><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif">A child conceived prior to the death of a parent but born after the death of the deceased parent is considered to be the
surviving issue of the deceased parent for purposes of this title.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Book Antiqua",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Dalynne Singleton</span></i></b><span style="mso-ligatures:none"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Gourley Law Group</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Snohomish Escrow</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">The Exchange Connection</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">1002 10<sup>th</sup> Street / PO Box 1091</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Snohomish, WA 98291</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">360.568.5065</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">360.568.8092 fax</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:dalynne@glgmail.com" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">dalynne@glgmail.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1">Website:
</span></u><a href="http://www.glglawgroup.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:blue">www.glglawgroup.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Attorney/client meetings will be handled by teleconference or virtually whenever possible. If you would like to set a telephone conference, zoom, Microsoft teams or in person meeting, please
call or email my paralegal <u><span style="color:blue"><a href="mailto:theresa@glgmail.com,%20angelina@glgmail.com">theresa@glgmail.com, angelina@glgmail.com</a></span></u> or
<a href="mailto:selina@glgmail.com"><span style="color:blue">selina@glgmail.com</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:Californian;color:black">LICENSED IN WASHINGTON</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
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