250. Your spouse will inherit your half of the community property. If you have separate property (many spouses mix everything together and don't have any separate property) your spouse will inherit all or a portion of it.
Joint tenancy is most common among married couples because it helps property owners avoid probate. Without joint tenancy, a spouse would have to wait for their partner's Last Will to go through a legal review process—which can take months or even years.
This post will explore how Washington's “joint tenancy with right of survivorship” allows certain assets of an estate to pass from one individual to another upon their death, removing the need for the asset to be subject to probate.
New laws affecting renters in Washington State in 2023 Within 30 days after a tenant moves out, the landlord must either return the full security deposit or give the tenant a written statement documenting why they kept some or all of it.
One of the most effective ways to avoid probate is to establish a living trust. Property is transferred to the trust, and these assets are overseen by a trustee who is charged with managing the trust for the benefit of the designated beneficiaries.
(1) Joint tenancy interests held in the names of both spouses or both domestic partners, whether or not in conjunction with others, are presumed to be their community property, the same as other property held in the name of both spouses or both domestic partners.
Bottom-line: If a married couple holds property in true joint tenancy, then it will pass outside of probate to the surviving spouse and not be subject to probate as it otherwise would have been (unless it was instead subject to a Community Property Agreement).
A defining feature of joint tenancy is the right of survivorship—if one owner dies, their share automatically passes to the surviving joint tenants, avoiding probate. In Washington, this can simplify the transfer of property between spouses or family members, especially for homes and real estate investments.
A joint owner or co-owner means that both owners have the same access to the account. As an owner of the account, both co-owners can deposit, withdraw, or close the account. You most likely want to reserve this for someone with whom you already have a financial relationship, such as a family member.