Preparing My Last Will and Testament.

Some people may encourage you to draw up the will yourself - suggesting that you can save on attorney expenses by doing it yourself.  However, drafting a will is a complex legal matter that is best done with the assistance of a competent lawyer.  Each state has its own requirements for the contents of wills and the formalities for executing a will.  There are many variables to consider depending on the desires of each individual and the nature of that person’s estate. Some variables include provisions for children, whether to use testamentary trusts for children or other purposes, the appointment of a trustee or guardian, how to divide estates involving blended families with children from previous marriages, charitable bequests, and whether there are estate tax considerations.

The most important step in this process is to find an attorney with the experience and training to help you understand your options and carry out your wishes.  You need to find someone with empathy, integrity, and high ethical standards.  Talking openly with your attorney about your final wishes should be like sharing your thoughts with your best friend.

Before you make that decision, pick up the phone and talk to a lawyer about having an initial meeting.  Find out what that meeting entails and if there will be a cost to gather more information.

We encourage you to call Seattle area attorney Lyle Clark.  Attorney Clark has had over 35 years of experience navigating through the waters of drawing up final wills and testaments.  With Lyle Clark you will get his total commitment in understanding your unique needs through in-person meetings and ongoing interaction.  Call Seattle area attorney Lyle Clark today at (425) 452-3092 and arrange a meeting at his office located at 40 Lake Bellevue, Suite 100, in Bellevue.

Uncontested Divorce in the State of Washington.

The term “uncontested” has multiple meanings.  In Washington State, all cases are uncontested because the only ground for divorce (called marriage dissolution in Washington) is that the marriage is irretrievably broken.  The necessity of proving fault of some kind has been removed from the process.

Another meaning to “uncontested divorce” is that both parties to the divorce are in full agreement as to the issues before one of them ever contacts an attorney.  Why spend thousands of dollars fighting over a variety of issues if you can resolve them yourselves?  In Washington an attorney cannot represent both sides in a divorce because doing so would constitute a conflict of interest.  However, an experienced family law attorney can help make sure that the dissolution documents have been correctly drafted and that all issues have been appropriately addressed.

Seattle area family law Attorney Lyle Clark is a very skilled draftsman and an experienced negotiator with over 30 years of handling divorce cases in the state of Washington.  His first priority is to help settle your case out of court in order to avoid unnecessary expense and minimize conflict.  Call Lyle Clark today at (425) 452-3092 to find out more about how his expertise may help for you and to make an appointment to meet with him at his Bellevue WA office.