I make these videos for Centerbridge Law Group, PLLC. They answer the questions families ask me most after a death: who is in charge, what the trust actually requires, and what the taxes look like. A new one posts most Thursdays.
Sibling Is Trustee and Won’t Share? Your Beneficiary Rights
Your brother or sister is the trustee of your parent’s trust, and months go by with no word. You don’t want a fight. You do want to know what’s in the trust. This video covers when your right to information starts under Washington law, what the trustee has to send you, how to ask without starting a war, and what to check before you sign a receipt and release.
Trustee of a Trust After a Death: First 10 Steps
The most common mistake a new successor trustee makes is paying the beneficiaries too soon. Then the final tax bill arrives. This video walks the first 10 steps in order: read the trust, prove you’re in charge, secure the assets, notify the beneficiaries, get a tax ID, value everything at the date of death, hold a reserve, file the returns, keep records, and distribute last.
Free download: Successor Trustee Toolkit
Your Parent Just Died: The First 30 Days Checklist
The bank tells you the joint account is yours now. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t. This video covers the first 48 hours, who actually has legal authority, what the will and the trust control (and what they don’t), and the tax setup most families miss until the 1099s show up in January.
Free download: First 30 Days Checklist
Not a Millionaire? Washington’s 9.9% Tax Can Still Hit You
Washington’s new income tax, ESSB 6346, starts January 1, 2028 at 9.9% on household income over a $1,000,000 standard deduction. You don’t have to earn a million a year for it to reach you. One business sale, a trust or an estate can push a single year over the line. This video covers who it hits, how trusts and estates fit in, what it means if you leave the state, and the Initiative 645 vote.
General education only, not legal or tax advice. Laws change, and the right answer depends on your facts. Watching these videos or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Legal services on Washington law are available to Washington clients only. Centerbridge Law Group, PLLC, 1610 Commercial Avenue, Suite 203, Anacortes, Washington 98221. Responsible attorney: Edward J. Barton.
Washington residents: Contact Centerbridge Law Group