Washington State residents without a valid will may anticipate the probate court distributing their net assets under the Evergreen State’s intestate succession laws. Your “net” estate consists of the assets remaining after your estate pays off your debts, according to...
Probate
Can you face lawsuits for mismanaging an estate?
When someone names you the executor over his or her Washington estate, you owe that individual and his or her beneficiaries and creditors a particular duty of care. There are many steps involved in serving as someone's executor, and if you fail to take some of them or...
Do all estates go through probate?
Not only are you forced to deal with the emotions of losing a loved one, but you may have to help finalize the estate. Washington and many other states in the nation require probate before the courts are able to disperse assets and property left in the last will and...
Probate and paying estate taxes
If you are preparing for the probate process as the executor of your loved one's estate, there are different issues you need to consider, from notifying creditors to distributing assets. However, you could have to deal with estate taxes, depending on the value of your...