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<p class="MsoNormal">This was my presentation, so I will chime in.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To be clear, my statement was not a blanket statement that using a TOD Deed would prevent a property being sold by the beneficiary of such deed for 2 years. My statement was that this situation is a
<u>possibility</u> depending on the circumstances of the decedent. I have had cases where the creditor risk was too great to get title insurance for the beneficiary to sell to a third party until the full 2-year statutory claim period had run. We even published
nonprobate notice to creditors. It is highly dependent on the decedent’s situation. Even the title company quote below is hedging its advice: “<span style="color:#212121">And if everything is in alignment …”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Therefore, my general advice is to counsel clients that it <u>
may</u> take up to two years after death before title can be insured and the property sold. If the beneficiary wants to keep the property anyways, then there are no issues and maybe a TOD Deed would be a good fit so long as there are other assets to pay funeral
expenses, estate administration expenses, taxes, etc. But if the beneficiary needs to sell, then I suggest going through the probate process and conveying property to beneficiaries under a Will.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I agree with Brent in that I do not think TOD Deeds are a great planning tool in Washington for most situations. The cost of probate in Washington is so minimal compared to the costs of trying to jump through hoops to salvage the estate
plan on an ill-conceived TOD Deed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Anna<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Anna M. Cashman<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">1000 Second Avenue, Suite 3670<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Seattle, WA 98104<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:3.0pt">Tel (206) 382-4414<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#215E99"><a href="mailto:anna@bc-estatelaw.com"><span style="color:#215E99">anna@bc-estatelaw.com</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></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>Brent Williams-Ruth<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, June 9, 2026 2:53 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] TODDs and title company issues when B's try to sell<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">My thoughts are simple. Title Companies, generally speaking, will not issue title if there is even the slightest daylight possibility of a claim. <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">To require a LOPA then puts the burden on a beneficiary - a LOPA can only be used if you are a descendant. What if I decide to mess with my family and I do a TODD to my mistress? Or best friend
from high school? Or my mistress who is also my best friend from high school. They cannot do a LOPA. <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">In my own opinion - TODD are the absolute worst. And some Title Companies have stated that they will not follow the law, they have their own policies in place. <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">Though I have seem some respond saying that they will do things. The reality is that a TODD is "meant" to be a total and complete transfer and if a beneficiary wishes to sell before the 24 month
period is over, I would put money on the fact that a Title Company will demand something before they will allow the sale to go through. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<o:p></o:p></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">Mailing Address:</span></b><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> 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;color:red">For All Meetings & Scheduling:
<a href="mailto:info@williams-ruthlaw.com" target="_blank">info@williams-ruthlaw.com</a></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="http://www.williams-ruthlaw.com/" 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="http://www.facebook.com/bwrlaw" 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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<p class="MsoNormal">On Tue, Jun 9, 2026 at 1:02<span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span>PM Eva Luchini <<a href="mailto:eva@luchinilaw.com">eva@luchinilaw.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#06400C">Hello,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#06400C">At the section conference this weekend, it was mentioned that title companies will not allow TODD beneficiaries of real property to turn around and sell the
property. Even after the 6months following publication of nonprobate notice to creditors. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#06400C"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#06400C">So title companies won’t insure title on a sale until 24 months have passed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#06400C"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#06400C">But I contacted WFG national title and asked if they required a 24 month wait and was told that they don’t:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#06400C"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#212121">"But as a title company, we can still assess our risk by treating it like a LOP transaction. So a recent death with a TODD may result in us asking for full LOPA, but it does not mean that we cannot insure for
24 month. And if everything is in alignment, many times we will vest through with a TODD once the death cert is recorded with an excise affidavit <img border="0" width="19" height="19" style="width:.2013in;height:.2013in" id="m_-5760447059268051769m_4350235250616853595m_1663827267122789331_x005f_x0000_i1030" src="cid:image002.png@01DCF8D6.5D159EA0" alt="🙂"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#212121">Any thoughts on this?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#212121"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#06400C"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:12.5pt;color:#0F5C1A">Eva M. Luchini,</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#0F5C1A"> JD, CAP</span></i></b><span style="color:#0F5C1A"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#0F5C1A"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Aptos Display",sans-serif;color:#0F5C1A"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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