For the past few months, domestic economy has come to a halt due to wide-sweeping shutdowns and shelter-in-place orders across the United States, including Governor Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order issued March 23, 2020. The good news is that the mandatory social distancing and prohibitions have been effective in flattening the curve and preventing […]
Signing Estate Planning Documents While Social Distancing
What are your Options? Electronic signatures? In person signings? Car signings? For many, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of completing an estate plan to ensure we are prepared for the worst while hoping for the best. The risk of illness may be a reminder that it’s time to draft a will or a […]
The CARES Act and Your Divorce
The CARES Act makes it easier to tap retirement assets for financially-strapped families during their divorce. Divorcing spouses often face financial belt-tightening measures as they temporarily figure out how to support two households. Money worries are even worse right now thanks to coronavirus-related business shut-downs. People are being furloughed, losing hours, getting laid off, or […]
Estate Planning Self-Help in Uncertain Times: A Note From Mary Anne Vance
In times of uncertainty or distress, I focus on the things I can control, like what I’ll make for dinner or when will I take a walk. Having some sense of control stabilizes me. During the past two weeks I have talked with many clients about ways they can confirm their control of their advance […]
COVID19 Update: The CARES Act
A Brief Overview of Key Provisions for Small Businesses While large and small businesses are both suffering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, small businesses generally lack the resources to outlast what is likely to be a long-term impact on their business operations. On Friday, March 27, the largest economic stimulus package in American […]
Considerations in Individualized End of Life Planning
Patient Autonomy and the Right to Self-Determination in Medical and End-of-Life Decision Making: A competent individual’s right to refuse life-sustaining medical treatment is generally acknowledged and accepted, as is an individual’s ability to exercise this right through advance written directives, or through a surrogate decision maker. Self-determination and the right to autonomy in healthcare and […]
SECURE Act
On December 20, 2019, the “Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement” Act, otherwise known as the “SECURE Act” was signed into law. The SECURE Act brings changes to the tax treatment of Traditional IRAs and other types of qualified retirement accounts. These changes impact clients who are using retirement accounts to transfer wealth to […]
What To Do With An Inheritance
First piece of advice: don’t spend it all in one place! The most common mistake made when receiving an inheritance, even a smaller one, is to spend it quickly. Don’t make any rash decisions, take time to explore your options, and enlist help if you need it. Check out this New York Times article that […]
What Do I Do With My Possessions When I Die?
Washington State law provides for the disposition of personal property like dishes, silverware and other family heirlooms in wills or trust documents. However, a recent article in the Seattle Times discusses a cultural and social change to consider when planning your estate – younger family members are now less inclined to want family heirlooms when […]
What Can I Do With My Body After I Die?
You may have heard that Washington just passed a new law that allows human composting (officially called “natural organic reduction”). This law also allows another option called hydro cremation (officially called “alkaline hydrolysis”). This means we now have four options for disposing of our remains in Washington that include: burial, cremation, composting, and hydro cremation. […]