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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Brent,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">First off, this is exactly the kind of peacekeeping and creative, proactive lawyering we should all be doing. So, bravo you. (Not that you need my accolades, but life is
short, so…)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Second, I don’t have a concrete answer, but I sure wish I had time today to go look at the statutes to see what I’d fine. Assuming you have all interested parties “onboard,”
I would start by looking at TEDRA statutes to see if anything limits it to post-death intestacy administration, probate, and trust matters; and I guess at adult guardianship/conservatorship statutes to see if they
<u>prohibit</u> something like “all interested persons” from agreeing to something that maybe a court can then simply approve upon petition on the ward’s (is that still the word?; I don’t engage those statutes, so forgive my ignorance) behalf without appointment
of a formal GAL.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">If one of those was a blockade, I would think through whether all parties EXCEPT the dad without capacity could enter into a non-TEDRA good old fashioned settlement and
release that would bind them all and provide for injunctive relief and damages if any party challenged an outcome (in probate court or a trust administration, say) that “matched” the provisions stated in the settlement/release. Unless some relevant law prohibited
such an agreement, I don’t know why parties with capacity could not agree.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Now, atop all of that are tax agencies, which couldn’t care less about any of the above. All of this seems much easier if there are no estate tax, significant income tax
(but you mention RMDs), and other “tax shifting” going on that would reduce taxes payable to some state or federal agency. If the result is just shifting taxes from Person A to Person B, and not evading taxes, then I would at least continue my consideration
of the option I identify in the first steps above. Otherwise, I’d switch to focusing on what would be required – and if it would even be possible with dad’s incapacity – to achieve the desired outcome if it’s unavoidably going to cause a tax problem the parties
cannot simply “draft around.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">So, that may all be “duh Josh” material. And, if so, my apologies. But if it helps identify (initial) issues, then great!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">I’d love to hear how you proceed if everyone remains friendly and nobody discovers something to fight about while you set upon this worthy endeavor!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Best, Josh
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Brent Williams-Ruth<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, November 13, 2023 4:46 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Pre-Death TEDRA?<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Greetings List Members - <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Here is the situation: blended family for multiple decades. Originally had a pre-nup drafted at the start of everything due to kids from each side....well, the parents have lasted into the 80's
and 90's. Sadly, one is completed demented without any capacity. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><br>
As the children of the wedded couple have been talking and helping their parents out (they are a functional blended family - at this time - and everyone is helping everyone) it has been discovered that Dad did a great job keeping separate separate. Mom, not
so much. Example, her RMD's from her separate retirement have been going into the joint checking. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Additionally, there is property that was left to go to the wife, if she survived by 30 days otherwise it would be separate property of the husband and go only to his kids. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">All things that seemed great 30 years ago but now, not so much. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The question - since the parties to the pre-nup are not both capable of making legal decisions and there is a generic POA my question is two-fold<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">1) can a general durable POA sign a new pre-nup on behalf of the principal?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">2) Can the kids get together and do a TEDRA-style agreement that is enforceable later when the death's occur or do they need to just wait until the actual time arrives to take any action?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Again - the good news is that there is no animosity of the parties. Just a realization that the parents never updated documents from prior to their marriage despite saying they would over and
over again through the years. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Appreciate any insights!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Brent<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Brent Williams-Ruth</span></b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> (pronouns: he/him)<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><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Physical Address: 500 S 336th Street, Suite 214; Federal Way, WA 98003</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:red">**EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY**</span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> All mail sent through the USPS should be sent to the following address: PO BOX 3319; Federal Way, WA
98063 </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Office/Scheduling Phone:<span style="color:#004080"> </span><span style="color:red">(253) 285-7751</span></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Direct:<span style="color:red"> (253) 285-7453</span></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="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.williams-2Druthlaw.com_&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=HmI827tYNEay_doKT4-Wahi2_BTHniCUtfy1kU_LvqQ&m=1wYGZjBgHcVZbRRxEIJLg3Gnt-NbLS28uJ0UNurDj2IUcxazRye7btIKWdb5yg0d&s=kIub9V-aSIpfPU8BhCsD59PTVFcTT3tOoqdlue_VnIs&e=" target="_blank">website</a> /</span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.facebook.com_bwrlaw&d=DwMFaQ&c=euGZstcaTDllvimEN8b7jXrwqOf-v5A_CdpgnVfiiMM&r=HmI827tYNEay_doKT4-Wahi2_BTHniCUtfy1kU_LvqQ&m=1wYGZjBgHcVZbRRxEIJLg3Gnt-NbLS28uJ0UNurDj2IUcxazRye7btIKWdb5yg0d&s=KHyyW604zf0eBkNBpRdSy9uM0MJul6W4OG_5Ol9Czv0&e=" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.5pt">facebook</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> / </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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