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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">By the way—if the married couple will hold title with other people, there is a lot of wrangling about whether a deed to “A, an individual, and B and C, a married couple” produces a 50-50 ownership between
A and the marital couple, or equal one-third interests between A, B, and C. That issue can also complicate how joint tenancy would work. Joint tenancy can only exist if all owners have equal interests, which would imply that one-third interests is correct
if the JT is to operate between B and C. But this is not a well-resolved issue in case law, so far as I’m aware.<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">See <u>Lyon v. Lyon</u>, 100 Wn.2d 409 (1983).
<u>Lyon</u> holds that a joint tenancy with right of survivorship arises between A and the marital community of B and C, when the deed conveyance is to “<b>A and B</b>, as joint tenants with right of survivorship”
<b>and B has a pre-existing three-prong community property agreement with C</b>. As a matter of Washington public policy, a community property agreement is favored over joint tenancy, and accordingly upon the death of B, C inherited the entire 50% community
interest in the property and the JTWROS was severed by that transfer. Note that this was not a deed to “A and B&C”, but the interaction between a deed to A and B and a CPA between B and C.<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> Thursday, September 4, 2025 9:58 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Real Property Listserv <wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBARP] Community Property with Right of Survivorship<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">I think the operative language to create automatic survivorship is “as joint tenants” per RCW 64.28.010. There was a discussion recently on a listerv (maybe not this one) talking about how the phrase “with
right of survivorship” technically isn’t necessary under the statute, though everyone seems to include it.<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">I think you could say “X and Y, husband and wife, as their community property, and as joint tenants with right of survivorship.”<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">One side note—I think it has been questioned as to whether a joint tenancy can be created unilaterally by a grantor, without direct simultaneous evidence of the grantees’ consent to the joint tenancy. So a
conveyance of “Z conveys to X and Y as joint tenants” might not be effective to create joint tenancy between X and Y, unless an acknowledgment is added that says something like “X and Y acknowledge and accept their interests received as joint tenants” and
X and Y sign it. (I don’t think notarization is necessary for that part.)<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">Of course, a deed of “X and Y convey to X and Y as joint tenants” automatically has the consent built in, since the grantees are also the grantors. And under the statute I think “X conveys to X and Y as joint
tenants” also works in theory. Frankly, I think the statute was meant to allow joint tenancy to be unilaterally created by a grantor, but I’m not positive it has been interpreted that way. But the safe route I believe is to have simultaneous express consent
by all grantees to the joint tenancy.<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:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Peter Harman<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, September 4, 2025 9:03 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbarp@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] Community Property with Right of Survivorship<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">When a Washington married couple wants to own real property as community property with the right of survivorship, is it ever appropriate to use "X and Y, husband and wife, as community property with right of survivorship" as the vesting
language? <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Or must one say "X and Y, husband and wife, as joint tenants with right of survivorship" and always rely on RCW 64.28.040(1) for the presumption that joint tenancy interests held by a married couple are community property?<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Peter Harman, Esq.</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Admitted in Oregon, Washington, & California</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">PO Box 322</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Hood River, OR 97031</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">541-402-1138</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in"><a href="http://www.peterharmanlaw.com" target="_blank">www.peterharmanlaw.com</a></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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