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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">I think it’s potentially fact-intensive to determine characterization, and then as a second matter, I don’t know if there is case law that defines how to determine a surviving spouse’s share in this scenario
where a potential committed intimate relationship was followed by marriage.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">First: If they were cohabiting at the time the property was purchased, or bought it and moved into it together, then there is an argument that they were in a committed intimate relationship a/k/a equity relationship
for some period of time prior to their legal marriage, and the house is therefore potentially “community-like” property. If so, then their separate interests in the property would be initially influenced by how much separate money/credit each of them contributed
to purchase the property before their marriage; but then their marital community would also have an interest depending on whether they used community funds to pay the mortgage/taxes/maintenance/insurance. This could result in something odd like 35% sp of husband
/ 40% sp of wife / 25% community.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">If there is no good evidence on source of funds used to purchase the property, but the CIR is determined to exist, then the court would presume it’s owned 50-50 by them. But if there’s traceable contribution
by the later marital community, it might still be something like 40% husband/40% wife/20% community.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Under ordinary CIR rules, if he had died while they were unmarried, his separate interest in the property would be subject to
<b><i>equitable</i></b> division between his heirs and his CIR partner (now wife), while the wife would retain her pre-marriage separate property interest, and also inherit the entire community interest. The equitable division is not influenced by inheritance
rules; it’s a “fair and equitable” determination by the court.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">However, in this case the CIR partners later married and husband died while they were married. So far as I know, there isn’t a case that addresses this circumstance. The three
outcomes I could see are:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The “community-like” CIR property, because the CIR was later formalized by marriage, will be treated as actual community property, and wife therefore
inherits it all. This would be contrary to normal rules for characterization of property though, in that what was really separate-ish property before the marriage is “converted” to community property simply by the act of getting married.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The “community-like” CIR property is treated as separate property of the parties. But this means that the CIR “community-like” rules have to be thrown
out, and the surviving spouse simply inherits a share of decedent’s separate property.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">The “community-like” CIR propety remains community-like, and is subject to equitable division between husband’s kids and surviving spouse. But this means
the surviving spouse’s inheritance rights are thrown out, and she instead receives (non-inheritance) a share of his separate property interest.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">I honestly don’t know how the courts would deal with this situation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">As an aside, don’t be fooled by how the names are shown on the deeds. They just don’t matter when it comes to determining character as separate, community, or community-like. See
<u>Borghi</u>, 167 Wn. 2d 480, 219 P.3d 932 (2009), and <u>Watanabe</u>, 506 P.3d 630 (2022).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Eric<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Sayre Law Offices, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#467886">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</span></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Amy Goertz<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, July 29, 2024 12:15 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Community Property?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt">I have an interesting scenario.</span><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-size:10.5pt">Two unmarried parties bought property via Statutory Warranty Deed that conveys title to both parties as “husband and wife.” </span><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-size:10.5pt">Parties later married.</span><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-size:10.5pt">Parties recorded a Deed of Trust post-marriage, which notes the parties as “a married couple.” </span><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-size:10.5pt">None of the documents say “community property” or “separate property.” </span><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-size:10.5pt">Husband died and left no Will. Wife did not open a probate or otherwise deal with the titling of the property.</span><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-size:10.5pt">Wife has now passed. She also left no Will.</span><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-size:10.5pt">Husband’s children argue house is owned by the parties 50/50, each as their separate property, since they acquired title prior to marriage. They want to split estate with wife’s children.</span><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-size:10.5pt">If that’s true, my thought is wife owned her 50% and inherited 50% of husband’s share, so she now owns 75%.</span><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-size:10.5pt">Or can wife’s heirs argue that it is Community Property based on the language of all documents indicating they are husband and wife. Any thoughts on what is share to wife’s heirs?</span><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-size:10.5pt">Amy </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Lucida Calligraphy"">Amy J. Goertz, J.D.</span></i><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Calligraphy";color:black">Goertz & Lambrecht PLLC</span></i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:amyjgoertz@icloud.com"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif">amyjgoertz@icloud.com</span></a><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black">1.888.926.2607 phone<br>
1.877.684.1627 fax<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black">Address for correspondence:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black">2829 S. Grand Blvd., Suite 303<br>
Spokane, WA 99203 <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black">Additional office locations:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black">510 Bell Street<br>
Edmonds, WA 98020<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black">Goertz & Lambrecht PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.goertzlambrecht.com/"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif">www.goertzlambrecht.com</span></a><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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