Washington § 11.11.050 - Notice — Affidavit — Form — Limitation on liability for failure to provide notice.

(1) Written notice under this chapter must be served personally or by certified mail, return receipt requested and postage prepaid, on the financial institution or other third party having the nonprobate asset in its possession or control, on the beneficiary, on the testamentary beneficiary, and on the personal representative, and proof of the mailing or service must be made by affidavit and filed under the cause number assigned to the owner's estate. Notice to a financial institution must include notice delivered as follows:

(a) If the nonprobate asset was maintained at a specific office of the financial institution, notice must be delivered to the office at which the nonprobate asset was maintained, which notice must be directed to the manager of the office;

(b) If the nonprobate asset was held in a trust administered by a financial institution, notice must be delivered to the office at which the trust was administered, which notice must be directed to a named officer responsible for the administration of the trust; and

(c) In all cases, notice must be delivered to any other location and in any other manner specifically designated in a written agreement signed by the owner and the financial institution, including but not limited to a signature card or deposit agreement.

(2) Written notice to a financial institution or other third party of the testamentary disposition of a nonprobate asset under this chapter must be in a form substantially similar to the following:

NOTICE OF TESTAMENTARY

DISPOSITION OF NONPROBATE ASSET

The undersigned personal representative, petitioner for appointment as personal representative, attorney for the personal representative or petitioner, or testamentary beneficiary under the will of the decedent named above (as that term is defined in RCW 11.11.010) hereby notifies you that the decedent named above died on (DATE MUST BE SUPPLIED) and left a will dated (DATE OF WILL MUST BE SUPPLIED) disposing of the following nonprobate asset or assets in your possession or control:

(EACH SUCH ASSET MUST BE DESCRIBED WITH REASONABLE SPECIFICITY. FOR ACCOUNTS AT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, THE WRITTEN NOTICE MUST SPECIFY THE OFFICE AT WHICH THE ACCOUNT WAS MAINTAINED, THE NAME OR NAMES IN WHICH THE ACCOUNT WAS HELD, AND THE FULL ACCOUNT NUMBER. FOR ASSETS HELD IN TRUST, THE WRITTEN NOTICE MUST SPECIFY THE NAME OR NAMES OF THE GRANTOR, THE NAME OF THE TRUST, IF ANY, AND THE DATE OF THE TRUST INSTRUMENT.)

Under chapter 11.11 RCW, you may not transfer, deliver, or otherwise dispose of the asset or assets listed above in accordance with the beneficiary designation, account registration, or other arrangement made with you by the decedent. You may transfer, deliver, or otherwise dispose of the asset or assets listed above only upon receipt of the written direction of the personal representative or of the testamentary beneficiary, if the personal representative consents.

(3) The personal representative of the estate of the owner, a petitioner for appointment as personal representative, or the testamentary beneficiary may provide written notice under this section. The personal representative has no duty to provide written notice under this section and has no liability for failing or refusing to give the notice.

(4) Written notice under this section may be provided at any time after the death of the owner and before discharge of the personal representative on closing of the estate, and may be provided before admission to probate of the will.