Cogdill Nichols Rein Wartelle Andrews (CNRWA)

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425-247-3984

CNRWA

Trusted Legal Counsel In Everett And Beyond

Comprehensive Services In Estate Planning And Estate Administration

Drafting a will or trust is not a cookie-cutter task. It needs to be customized to your circumstances and your goals. The estate planning lawyers of Cogdill Nichols Rein Wartelle Andrews (CNRWA) provide the attention to detail to protect your interests and reflect your wishes.

Our attorneys provide full-spectrum estate planning services to individuals and closely held companies in the Seattle area and throughout Seattle. We also provide advice and representation in estate administration and probate litigation, including out-of-state clients who need local legal counsel.

We have the experience to handle large and complex estates, but we welcome those with modest estates, special situations or crisis planning needs. Call our Everett law office at 425-247-3984.

Personalized Estate Planning Solutions

Our lawyers are well versed in the legal and financial aspects of estate plans, including tax implications. We work to achieve solutions that will protect your interests and ensure your intentions are carried out.

Wills, Property Agreements And Powers Of Attorney

Every individual should have a will, whether they are entering retirement age or just starting a family and career. We listen carefully to your concerns to draft legally sound documents that reflect your wishes. A will, a community property agreement, and a durable power of attorney answer questions such as “Who will inherit my assets?” and “Who will take care of my kids?” and “Who will handle my finances if I can no longer do so for myself?”

Establishing Trusts To Serve Specific Goals

When passing on assets to a beneficiary, you may need to consider how those assets will be managed after they are gifted. Your beneficiary or heir may end up facing significant tax consequences that cut into the wealth you are transferring. Your beneficiary may also need help managing the funds until he or she is able to do so alone (as in cases for minors or adults with disabilities). We can help you with asset preservation concerns as we draft, prepare, review and amend trusts, living trusts and testamentary trusts.

Guardianships Assignment

There are several reasons the court would need to appoint a guardian to care for another individual. The person may be a minor whose parents are either unable or unwilling to take care of his or her needs. The person may be an adult with physical or mental impairments that impede their ability to make medical or financial decisions. We can help you assert guardianship to make decisions for someone in your care or assign guardianship of your children in the event that something would happen you.

Appointing Your Personal Representative

A personal representative, also referred to as an executor or estate administrator, is someone you choose to finalize the affairs of your estate in the event of your death. He or she will be responsible for collecting assets and debts against the estate, informing creditors, selling property and distributing assets to heirs and beneficiaries according to the guidelines detailed in estate planning documents.

Business Succession Planning

If you helped to build a business, you need to consider how it will carry on operations in the event you can no longer play a role in its management or ownership. This is true whether the business is family-owned, operated as a sole proprietorship, or you are a key stakeholder in a partnership or corporation. Through strategic succession planning, you can ensure your hard work is passed along to the individuals you choose.

Probate And Estate Administration

If you have been named as the personal representative of an estate, you are charged with complex responsibility of carrying out the person’s wishes and finalizing the affairs of the estate. We help you navigate the estate administration process, including satisfying the requirements of the probate court and resolving any disputes over the estate and distribution of assets.

Probate Litigation

Even when a person has drafted a will and estate planning documents, they deceased may not have updated them to reflect changes in income, assets or family structure. There can also be disputes over the validity of the will. As experienced litigators and estate planning attorneys, we are familiar with the full scope of issues that arise in the probate and trust litigation, whether you are challenging the will or defending against claims.

Start The Discussion

Our estate planning lawyers will answer all your questions and address specific scenarios to help you get your affairs in order. To arrange a discussion, please contact our Everett office or call 425-247-3984.