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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Is it too late for the grantees to disclaim their interest, then have the property go through probate<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"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">John McCrady<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Counsel<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Puget Sound Title Company<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">5350 Orchard Street West<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">University Place WA 98467<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">253-476-5721<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:j.mccrady@pstitle.com"><span style="color:#467886">j.mccrady@pstitle.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.piercecountywa.gov%2FDocumentCenter%2FView%2F130967%2Frecordingfeeschedule20240101%3FbidId%3D&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK"><span style="color:#467886">2024
Recording Fee Schedule</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:6.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">WARNING-FRAUDULENT FUNDING INSTRUCTIONS
</span></b><b><span style="font-size:4.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:6.0pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Email hacking and fraud are on the rise to fraudulently misdirect funds. Please call your escrow officer immediately using contact information
found from an independent source, such as the sales contract or internet, to verify any funding instructions received. We are not responsible for any wire sent by you to an incorrect bank account.<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>Brent Williams-Ruth<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, April 18, 2025 3:33 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> [WSBARP] Title Company Refusing to Honor TODD<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt:.75pt"><span style="font-size:1.0pt;color:#F6F6F6">Greetings List Members - 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 certificat
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:15.0pt;background:#D5E9F4"><strong><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#191919">External sender</span></strong><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#191919">
<<a href="mailto:brent@williams-ruthlaw.com">brent@williams-ruthlaw.com</a>> <br>
Make sure you trust this sender before taking any actions. <o:p></o:p></span></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"><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"><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"><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"><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"><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">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">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">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>
<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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