In its most basic form, the real estate syndication is the solicitation and pooling of multiple investor’s money to acquire an existing asset or develop a new project and distribute the profits (or losses) to the investors and the syndicators. The person organizing and syndicating the Project is commonly referred to as the sponsor. The […]
What to Know When Hiring a Nanny
As childcare for newborns and young children becomes more expensive families may find they can hire a nanny (or nanny share) for a comparable cost as daycare. Parts of a nanny or nanny share are very convenient – location, child to caretaker ratio, no stressful waiting list etc. However, the paperwork involved in hiring a […]
How can you reduce estate taxes?
Estate taxes, inheritance taxes, death taxes. There are many names for the estate taxes and many myths and misconceptions to go with those names. Regardless of what you call them, estate taxes are a tax imposed on the value of everything you own at the moment of your death. The portion of your estate lost […]
Protecting Your Beneficiaries with an IRA Trust
IRAs and other retirement accounts can be some of the largest assets in an estate, often second only to a home. If you have an IRA, you can decide who receives your IRA after your death by filling out a beneficiary designation form naming beneficiaries—children, spouse, or any other person—for your IRA. After your death, […]
Is it Time to Update your Personal and Estate Planning Documents?
As the end of the year approaches, it is a good time to review your Personal and Estate Planning documents. Personal and Estate Planning documents are essential safeguards for you and your loved ones in case of incapacity or death. It is important to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances and events by having personal planning documents […]
Prenup Season
Summertime is wedding season, which can make the early part of the year, for a family lawyer, “prenup season.” We encourage proactive planning for major life events, and a wedding is definitely a major life event. Part of planning for a wedding should ideally include learning about the financial rules that change when two lives […]
Young vs. United Parcel Service, Inc.
For those following employment discrimination news – no this is not about Ellen Pao – on March 25, 2015 SCOTUS decided Young vs. United Parcel Service (UPS). I would describe this result as “expected”, but the clarification from the Court makes an employment attorneys’ advice that much more precise; which is welcome. A little background: […]
Domestic Violence Resources – Advocates and Online Tools
For families affected by domestic violence, the challenges of the family law process – which can be overwhelming even in the average case – can seem insurmountable. Before the legal process even begins, a domestic violence victim leaving an abusive situation is often dealing with being afraid for his or her safety, being afraid for […]
What’s Love Got to Do with It?
Separate and Community Property Considerations for Personal and Estate Planning What’s yours, what’s mine, and what’s ours? In Washington State, it depends. Property interests become blurred once two people enter into a committed intimate relationship (aka “CIR”) or get married. Our laws provide guidelines that determine what is separate property and what is community property. […]
What is the “Dead Man’s Statute” and Why You Should Create an Estate Plan
You might think it is enough to tell your loved ones what you would like them to inherit from you, but your statements alone are not enough, and here is why: The Dead Man’s Statute, RCW 5.60.030, is designed to prevent interested parties from testifying against the decedent’s estate about interactions they had with the […]