King County Estate Planning Lawyer 
Throughout his legal career attorney Lyle M. Clark, Jr. has assisted clients in developing estate plans. Effective estate planning with Wills and other documents can protect your assets and property, provide for healthcare decisions and financial management in the event of your incapacity, decrease the costs of settling your estate after your death, and minimize the burden to your survivors of Federal and State estate taxes.
Estate planning is not merely a tool for the fabulously wealthy. At the law office of Lyle M. Clark, Jr. we work with modest to mid-sized estates to develop an effective estate plan to suit the needs of our clients. This may involve drafting simple wills, contingent trust wills for minor children, special needs trust wills for the support of disabled persons on SSI or public assistance, or living trusts for persons who need assistance in managing their assets or who own property in more than one state.
Mr. Clark personally drafts all wills and trusts. Most estate planning packages are charged on a flat fee basis, rather than hourly. Fee estimates are available by phone, but actual charges will be quoted following the initial appointment.
If you have any questions regarding estate planning or would like to discuss your family's situation with an experienced attorney, please feel free to contact our firm by phone or e-mail. Lyle Clark offers a free initial consultation to every prospective client. Call us at 425-452-3092.
Important Aspects of Estate Planning
- Wills. The most important reason for having a will is to make certain that your property is disposed of in accordance with your wishes following your death. However, there are other important objectives. You can designate a personal representative to handle the settlement of your estate or a guardian for any minor children. Washington law allows you to give your personal representative non-intervention powers so your estate can be settled without most of the court proceedings that are required in other states, thus potentially saving thousands of dollars in attorneys fees and decreasing the waiting time for your heirs to receive their shares of your estate. You can also waive the requirement that your representative post bond.
- Trusts. A trust is a flexible device that can be used to give you more control over how your assets are used after your death. For example, most parents do not want their children to have control over their property at majority age (18). Because Washington allows for non-intervention probates, most trusts are provided for in wills. The type of trust depends on the estate planning objectives of the client. The most common form is a contingent trust to provide for the health, support, and education of children until a designated age if both parents are deceased. However, trusts can also be used for many other types of purposes.
- Community Property Agreements. As a community property state, Washington allows couples to enter into a contract providing that all of their property will be treated as community property and will be vested in the survivor at the time of the first death. Having a community property agreement can enable a couple that owns real estate to settle the estate of the first to die without probate, thus resulting in significant savings in most cases.
- Powers of Attorney and Healthcare Directives. Powers of Attorney for financial management and for healthcare purposes enable you to designate someone to make decisions for you if you are unable to do so. Healthcare Directives express your desire to have medical treatment withheld if you are in a terminal condition or a chronic vegetative state.
Contact the law office of Lyle M. Clark, Jr., today for a free initial consultation. Our firm is located in Bellevue and serves the communities of western Washington State.
Lyle M. Clark, Jr.
Attorney at Law
1800 112th Ave NE, Suite 306E
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 452-3092
Fax: (425) 452-6037
E-mail • Map and Directions
The law office of Lyle M. Clark, Jr., represents clients throughout western Washington State, including Bellevue, Mercer Island, Redmond, Kirkland, Bothell, Sammamish, Renton, Maple Valley, North Bend, Seattle, Issaquah, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Edmonds, Kent, Auburn, SeaTac, Federal Way, Everett, Marysville, Snohomish, Monroe, Duvall, and surrounding vicinities.
King County • Pierce County • Snohomish County
