A Community Property Agreement is unique to Washington State, but it is a well-established and widely used estate planning document used by couples with no estate tax issues. Not all property owned by a married couple is automatically deemed to be community property. A Community Property Agreement can eliminate any doubt as to the separate or community status of property by declaring that all property owned by the couple, now or in the future, is automatically converted to community property, and all community property passes automatically to the surviving spouse upon the death of the first spouse. This negates the need to go through a probate proceeding after the first spouse’s death. Because a Community Property Agreement would negate any estate tax planning in a couple’s Wills, it should not be used by couples with potential estate issues.
At the Law Office of John S. Palmer, we will gladly review your existing estate plan free of charge, and let you know if any changes are needed. We can tailor any estate planning document to meet your needs, and draft an estate plan that is right for you.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at (425) 455-5513, toll free at (877) 455-5513, or info@palmerlegal.com.
The Law Office of John S. Palmer provides a wide range of Legal Services including Estate Planning, Family Law, Guardianships, Elder Law and Probate and Trust Litigation throughout the Seattle-Tacoma area and western Washington, including Bellevue, Seattle, Kirkland, Redmond, Mercer Island, Issaquah, Sammamish, Snoqualmie, Renton, Woodinville, Bothell, and Lynnwood.
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