What happens to my pet after I die? Our estate planning attorneys help you answer that question, and give you the peace knowing that your pet will be well taken care of after you are gone. For many pet owners, their furry friends are not just animals but beloved family members. The thought of lea...
If you own a home, business, or investments, there is a good chance that you will need a trust to protect your wealth. Because individual needs vary, it is almost impossible to approach trust creation from a one-size-fits-all perspective. Instead, your individual needs, personal goals, familial c...
What is an NFT? An NFT is the acronym for Non-Fungible Tokes. A NFT is something that is one-of-a-kind. It is unique but unlike, say a work of art, you cannot touch it. It is actually a digital asset. JPG files, GIF files, and MP3 files all might be examples of NFTs. Why is owning an NFT differen...
What is Crypto? Cryptocurrency is, “a digital currency in which transactions are verified and records maintained by a decentralized system using cryptography, rather than by a centralized authority.” Decentralized, meaning that it's an organization controlled by several offices or authorities, ra...
Most attorneys and law firms have their own approaches to legal representation. At our firm, we prefer an approach where we: First, engage in a fact-finding mission with our client in order to get the ‘lay of the land;' Second, identify our clients' goals, objectives, and primary concerns; ...
When considering trusts, it is helpful to keep in mind three central “characters.” These include the Grantor, the Trustee and the Beneficiary (or Beneficiaries). The Grantor is the person or persons who originally set up the trust. They set the terms of the trust and provide for its funding. The ...
Forming a new business is an exciting venture thousands of Americans take on each year. According to the Small Business Association (SBA), over 627,000 businesses are formed annually. When forming a new company, it is imperative to legitimize your operations by establishing it as a legal entity. ...
Trusts Trust are very powerful and effective devices with regards to estate planning. Today, trusts are not just used by the very wealthy. People with a wide variety of income levels use them as estate planning tools too. Trust are very different from a Will. What is a Trust? A trust is often i...
What is a Living Will? Simply put, Health Care Directive, also called Advanced Directives or Living Will, provide instructions to your family and medical providers regarding what end-of life medical care treatment you want and do not want when this time approaches. Our health care directives (HCD...
What is a Durable Power of Attorney document? The difference between a durable power of attorney (‘DPOA') and a “non-durable” power of attorney (‘POA') document is fairly simple. If the POA is durable, it means that it will continue being effective in the event you become incapacitated. A “nondur...
At The Whipple Law Group, we draft separate Powers of Attorney (POA) documents for our clients. For instance, we draft a Financial Decision-Making POA, which specifies what decisions and actions the designated Powers of Attorney may take with regard to your finances. Our client decides whether th...
When you are engaged in estate planning, the topic of Power of Attorney (POA) is likely to come up. At The Whipple Law Group, we include POA documents and Health Care Directives in our flat estate planning price. We do this because of the importance these documents hold and the vital role they ca...
Review Your Will Regularly You should review your will every two to five years, or whenever your circumstances change. Changes that warrant revising your estate plan might include: Marriage Divorce Having a child Having children move out of the house Acquiring or inheriting a large ass...
At The Whipple Law Group, we talk to people every day about the importance of drafting a Will. But people often ask why they need a Will or believe they don't have a need for one at all. However, here are five basic reasons why you should prepare a Will: To Choose Beneficiaries The laws of the st...
“Do I need a Will?” That is a question our firm often hears from clients. Many people do not believe they need a Will. However, these persons are often mistaken. Sadly, it is only after they pass that the reason a Will is so important becomes apparent. Why Do I Need a Will? There are a number of ...
If you have ever visited an animal shelter, then you have witnessed this sad sight: beloved pets whose elderly (or sometimes not so elderly) owners have passed away. With no one to care for them and, perhaps, no one with the resources to do so, the unfortunate fact is that these animals often end...
When someone hears the term “estate planning,” drafting a Will naturally comes to mind. While estate planning includes several tools including Power of Attorney documents, Trusts, and Healthcare Directives, a person's Last Will and Testament remains a fundamental element of successful estate plan...
When working in the field of tax-related issues, it is easy to become confused by certain terms. One of these terms is “tax basis.” Have no fear, it is actually a useful term that is not too challenging to grasp once explained. What does tax basis mean? The term “tax basis” describes the value of...
State and federal governments impose taxes on estates where the total value of the estate is over a pre-determined amount. One important aspect of estate planning includes whether pre-death gifts should be made, to loved ones and charities, in order to lower the eventual tax liability of the esta...
Many people become overwhelmed when confronted with the facts and issues involved in estate planning. This blog series is intended to provide a simple introduction to some of the related concepts and topics involved in estate planning. Goals: Our goals in offering these materials are simple: T...
Estate planning is an extremely important part of life. It is about making loving decisions, now, that will help your loved ones know what you want to happen later. For instance: If you are unable to make decisions about finances and medical issues, who will make them for you? Who will care ...
The legislature recently passed new legislation called the “Hirst Fix”. This new legislation will allow permits to be issued in rural areas to build wells. According to an article in the Spokesman review, some areas of the state stopped developments because they did not have access to water. T...
We have changed our location to 309 E. Pacific Avenue, Spokane, WA 99202. We will still be providing all of the same top legal services at our new office.
Water law in Washington State is based on the concept of scarcity. Simply put, there isn't enough water to go around. As usage rises there is less and less water available for competing uses. This fact is continuously reflected in court decisions, state legislation and local governmental action. ...
Article By Amy Fischer, Columbian City Government Reporter Stephen Kirby, who owns Tikor Consulting, had sought information from multiple governments about how much they were being charged by outside attorneys for their work, said his attorney, Michael Whipple of the Spokane-based Whipple Law Gro...