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<div class="pre" style="margin: 0; padding: 0; font-family: monospace">Law Office of F. Andrekita Silva<br />______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ <br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">December 13 2025</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Mark,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I have not had this scenario. Generally, however, I would say that the allocation of community debt to one spouse by the court is not binding on third party creditors. </span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">So, if the debt being paid by deceased ex-H was a community debt, a third party creditor should be able to access the community portion of equity in the home. If the divorce was a long time ago, possible ex-wife who was awarded home has built up a separate property equity?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I believe that the idea is to not prejudice community creditors by giving an asset to one party, then having the court- obligated debtor spouse default. Otherwise, a divorcing couple could collude against third party creditors.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">That is why it is so important for a divorce decree to require refinance where ever possible- or certainly within a reasonable period of time. Hopefully, that wasn't a judicial ruling but an agreed decree by the parties. A judge should know better. The wife could try to refinance or do something to pay the secured debt so that she can keep the house from being taken from her. Otherwise, I believe the creditor can sell the house, take what is owed to them, and then give her whatever is left over- if there is anything left over.</span></div>
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<div class="pre" style="margin: 0; padding: 0; font-family: monospace"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Andrekita Silva</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Law Office of F. Andrekita Silva</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">1325 Fourth Avenue, Suite 940</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Seattle, Washington 98101-2509</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">206-224-8288</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="mailto:ak@seattle-silvalaw.com">ak@seattle-silvalaw.com</a></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">On 2025/12/12 14:57, Mark Anderson wrote:</span>
<blockquote type="cite" style="padding: 0 0.4em; border-left: #1010ff 2px solid; margin: 0"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear All: </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Client is the sister of a Decedent who passed away without a will. </span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Decedent was paying on a HELOC secured by a deed of trust on real</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">property that had been awarded to his ex-spouse in their divorce. </span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Decedent's debts far exceed his apparent assets. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I usually deal with solvent estates without family law complications. </span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Who of you has seen this scenario before and would be willing to</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">either take on the Client or provide some practice tips? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks much. Happy Friday! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Mark B. Anderson</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ANDERSON LAW FIRM PLLC</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">821 Dock Street, Suite 209, PMB 4-12</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Tacoma, Washington 98402</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">+1 253-327-1750</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">+1 253-327-1751 (fax)</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="mailto:marka@mbaesq.com">marka@mbaesq.com</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mbaesq.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.mbaesq.com</a> [<a href="http://www.mbaesq.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1</a>] </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">This transmission is confidential and is intended solely for the use</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">of the individual named recipient. It may be protected by the</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">attorney-client privilege, work product doctrine, or other</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">confidentiality protection. If you are not the intended recipient, or</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">the person responsible to deliver it to the intended recipient, be</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">advised that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">communication is prohibited. If you have received this transmission in</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">error, please immediately notify the sender via e-mail or by telephone</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">at (253) 327-1750 that you have received the message in error, and</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">then delete it. Thank you. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Links:</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">------</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">[1] <a href="http://www.mbaesq.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.mbaesq.com/</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">***Disclaimer: Please note that RPPT listserv participation is not restricted to practicing attorneys and may include non-practicing attorneys, law students, professionals working in related fields, and others.***</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">_______________________________________________</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">WSBAPT mailing list</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="mailto:WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com">WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com</a></span><br /><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbapt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://mailman.fsr.com/mailman/listinfo/wsbapt</a></span></blockquote>
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