<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">See <a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.10&full=true#11.10.010">
RCW 11.10.010</a>. First question is how the gifts of real property and personal property were made: are they both specific bequests, general gifts, or something else? If one is a specific bequest in the other is a general or residuary gift, then your problem
is solved. But if they both fall into the same category, then the first sentence of the statute specifies that assets abate "without preference as between real and personal property." But see subsection 2, which walks it back if the Will appears to be intending
something else, even if it doesn't expressly say one way or the other. So the grand answer is, as usual, "it depends." If you can make an argument from the structure of the Will to abate one asset in the same category over another, then that might be allowable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Re classification of the gifts in the Will, see Washington Law of Wills and Intestate Succession, Ch. 5:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D">There are four types or classifications for gifts in a will: specific, general, demonstrative, and residuary.[1] The court in Martin v. Barger [2] stated with approval the following general
definitions:[3]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D"> A specific legacy is a bequest of a specific article of the testator's estate, distinguished from all others of the same kind; as, for example, a particular horse, or piece of plate,
or money in a certain purse or chest, a particular stock in the public funds, a particular bond or other instrument for the payment of money. Whether a legacy is specific depends wholly upon the language of the will ....<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D"> The term "general" legacies comprises all those which are not either specific or demonstrative — that is, those which are not gifts of some identical article or fund forming part of
the testator's estate, nor gifts of a sum payable out of such an identified fund. They are, therefore, rather gifts of amounts than of things or pieces of property specially described and identified ....<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D"> Demonstrative legacies are a peculiar kind which partake of the nature of both specific and general legacies, and combine the advantages of each. Demonstrative legacies are bequests
of sums of money, or of quantity or amounts having a pecuniary value and measure, not in themselves specific, but made payable primarily out of a particular designated fund or piece of property belonging, or assumed to belong, to the testator.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D">A gift often will be found to be demonstrative when that characterization will save it.[4]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D">In addition to the three classes of gifts quoted above, a fourth category, residuary gifts, is usually included, although it is itself a type of general gift. A residuary gift is one
that covers the rest or remainder of the testator's property after all specific and general gifts, and after payment of debts, taxes, and expenses.[5]<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D">Simple examples of the four categories set out above would be a specific gift of "my 1970 Cadillac," a general gift of "$1,000," a demonstrative gift of "$1,000, taken from my credit
union account if available," and a residuary gift of "everything else I own."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D">Notes:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D">[1] In re Eagle's Estate, 5 Wn.2d 254, 105 P.2d 31 (1940); In re Doepke's Estates, 182 Wash. 556, 47 P.2d 1009 (1935); Martin v. Barger, 62 Wash. 672, 114 P. 505 (1911); Thomas E. Atkinson,
HANDBOOK ON THE LAW OF WILLS §132 (2d ed. 1953); 6 William H. Page, PAGE ON THE LAW OF WILLS §48.1 (2003 ed.).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D">[2] 62 Wash. 672, 114 P. 505 (1911).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D">[3] The court was quoting from 3 John N. Pomeroy, A TREATISE ON EQUITY JURISPRUDENCE (3d ed. 1905).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D">[4] See Atkinson §132, at 735; id. §136, at 757.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="color:#1F497D">[5] Id. §132.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Eric<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Eric C. Nelsen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">SAYRE LAW OFFICES, PLLC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">1417 31st Ave South<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">Seattle WA 98144-3909<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">phone 206-625-0092<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">fax 206-625-9040<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:red">Please Note that We Have Moved.</span></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">
</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:#1F497D">We have moved our Seattle office to Mount Baker Ridge (a small commercial community just above the I-90 tunnel).
<b>Our new address is 1417 31st Avenue South, Seattle WA 98144. </b>All other contact information remains the same.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Rod Harmon<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, August 22, 2017 7:21 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] From which assets are probate claims paid?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In solvent testate estate, decedent left his real property to one beneficiary and his personal property to another beneficiary. The will gives no direction whatsoever about payment of claims. From which assets should PR pay the claims?
If there is a statute or case addressing this, I can’t find it easily.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Rod Harmon</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">RODNEY T. HARMON</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> Attorney at Law</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> P.O. Box 1066</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> Bothell, WA 98041</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> Tel: (425) 402-7800</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> Fax: (425) 458-9096</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> <a href="http://www.rodharmon.com">www.rodharmon.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"> <a href="mailto:rodharmon@msn.com">rodharmon@msn.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:6.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>