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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Or maybe have PR use a B&S deed to convey to the TODD owners. Same effect, since it clears their TODD title from any possible estate clawback. Maybe Rainier Title would agree to that?<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"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com"><span style="color:#467886">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</span></a><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"> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Eric Nelsen<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, April 18, 2025 3:49 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com>; WSBA Real Property Listserv <wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBARP] [WSBAPT] Title Company Refusing to Honor TODD<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Have all three owners sign a warranty deed to buyer, and have the estate execute a separate PR deed (basically a bargain & sale deed, without covenant of seisin). The warranty deeds convey actual title, and
the estate clears any putative clawback right caused by unpaid estate debts.<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">All owners and the PR all sign escrow instructions directing distribution of net proceeds in equal shares to the three owners, and report the proceeds on their SSNs and not the Estate EIN.<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">Not that I’ve encountered this before—just the first workaround I can come up with.<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">Second workaround is to bail on Rainier Title. But I think the industry in general does not like TODDs, so I’m not sure what problems you would encounter elsewhere.<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">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"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><a href="mailto:eric@sayrelawoffices.com"><span style="color:#467886">eric@sayrelawoffices.com</span></a><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"><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">
<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Brent Williams-Ruth<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, April 18, 2025 3:33 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <<a href="mailto:WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com">WSBAPT@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>>; WSBA Real Property Listserv <<a href="mailto:wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Title Company Refusing to Honor TODD<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 class="gmaildefault"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Greetings List Members -</span></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 class="gmaildefault"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">I have a messy probate - it's messy because after creating a Will with me years ago, my client worked with a financial adviser who had her put everything on TOD, including
a TODD for her real property. The death certificate was recorded.</span></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 class="gmaildefault"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Sadly, there are tons of creditor claims. The 3 new owners of the home (via the TODD) have decided they need to sell to pay off the debts. OK, so Rainier Title is
now telling me that they want the Executor to take responsibility and sell this property as a PR Deed. </span></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 class="gmaildefault"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">In speaking with the rep from Rainier Title he stated TWICE - WE DON'T FOLLOW THE LAW. </span></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 class="gmaildefault"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">He wants me to just write a PR deed and have the Executor "sell" this property and then take the proceeds. </span></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-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Now, I would honestly LOVE to do this. It would be so much easier than having to write to each owner and say - hey, under the abatement statute I need X% back to cover the debts. Truly, there
is nothing more I would love than if this were to be under my control and just not have to deal with clawing back money that was sent out through beneficiary designations. <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">Can anyone out there provide me legal cover by where I and my Executor have the ability to vitiate a valid TODD (signed in 2018, btw, this was not something done death bed) and turn this into
an estate sale?<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">I got extremely frustrated as this title representative just said "lots of attorneys will just do this..." and maybe someone reading this will. But I am literally trying to rewrite our standards
for Character and Fitness (report being published soon by SU Law online law review). <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">But I also acknowledge that there may be some case law out there that supports that a title company can require extra steps when the sale of property is less than one year from the date of death. <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">Appreciate any guidance that gives me and the PR both ethical and lawful cover. <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">Brent<o:p></o:p></span></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>
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