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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Hello Fellow Listservers and Practitioners,<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'>I wanted to solicit your input and opinions on a scenario. Husband and wife purchase family home back in 1989 while married, but due to wife’s poor credit, she quit claimed her interest in the home at closing to ensure that husband is only person on Deed of Trust and Loan as well as on title using the WAC exemption to establish the property as separate property. The family home is their primary and only residence and wife has resided there continuously since 1989. In fact, husband passed away in 2020 and only wife has been paying the mortgage since then. <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'>Husband has children from a previous marriage and husband and wife have multiple children together, but all children have reached the age of majority/ are adults.<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'>Husband died without a will and so the right of the heirs at law to inherit is governed by RCW 11.04.015(1) which states “(1) Share of surviving spouse or state registered domestic partner. The surviving spouse or state registered domestic partner shall receive the following share:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>(a) All of the decedent's share of the net community estate; and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>(b) One-half of the net separate estate if the intestate is survived by issue”<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'>It therefore appears that the surviving spouse/ wife is only entitled to ½ of the family home and the children are entitled to ½ of the family home, even though the property was purchased while married with what are presumptively community assets. <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'>Questions:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Is anyone familiar with any case law that exempts real estate acquired during the marriage, but then deemed separate property from RCW 11.04.015 or alternatively that allows the court to treat real estate acquired during the course of the marriage where one spouse conveyed their interest to the other spouse as still community property? <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'>I was thinking that the surviving spouse is entitled to make a petition for family support to try to claim the entirety of the family home under RCW 11.54.010 with the basic award covering the entire equity of the property (property is not very valuable). Does anyone have thoughts or input on this? Can a petition for family support from a surviving spouse dispossess the interest of other beneficiaries such as adult children of the decedent? <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'>Thanks so much to all for your input and feedback.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>Kind regards, <span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='color:purple'>Michael S. Safren, Esq.</span></b> <b><br></b><i>Attorney at Law</i> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><img width=800 height=400 style='width:8.3333in;height:4.1666in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01DBD162.6C579180"><br><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/14900+Interurban+Ave.+S.,+Ste.+280+%7C+Seattle,+WA+98168?entry=gmail&source=g" target="_blank"><span style='color:blue'>14900 Interurban Ave. S., Ste. 280 | Seattle, WA 98168</span></a> <br><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/search/11900+NE+1st+St.,+Bldg.+G+-+Ste.+300?entry=gmail&source=g" target="_blank"><span style='color:blue'>11900 NE 1st St., Bldg. 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It constitutes non-public information intended to be conveyed only to the designated recipient(s). If the reader or recipient of this communication is not the intended recipient, an employee or agent of the intended recipient who is responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, or you believe that you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail and promptly delete this e-mail, including attachments without reading or saving them in any manner. The unauthorized use, dissemination, distribution, or reproduction of this e-mail, including attachments, is prohibited and may be unlawful. Receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is not a waiver of any attorney/client or other privilege.</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>