Madeline Gauthier

The only thing that really matters is who you love. After thirty years as an estate planning and probate attorney, that’s one thing that I know for sure! Yes, we’ll ask you about the money, the tax planning, the way your retirement and life insurance are designated, who gets your jewelry and shop equipment. But we always circle back to the issue of why those things are important. Who do you love, and how should they be cared for if when you are gone? What is the best tax advantaged way to care for those people?

Everybody has a Will. The state legislature wrote one for you. It’s called the Intestacy Statute. The state’s Will everywhere in the US gives money to youngsters when they turn 18. The State’s Will won’t give money to charities. It might provide for your parents, but maybe not. The State has to presume that you didn’t trust anyone to handle your affairs without being supervised, because if you had trusted someone, you would have told us. The result is that if you don’t have a Will, the Courts will supervise every move that your Executor makes. The Executor can’t sell the house without the Court reviewing all the offers. She can’t clean out your home or have a garage sale without an order from the Court.

Our goal is to help you identify your wishes, and then draft documents that capture your heart, planning in a way that gives you the best estate tax planning, maximizing your gifts.

We are located in the heart of Bellevue, WA and our office is easily accessible to King County areas of Seattle, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Renton, Issaquah, Bothell, Mill Creek and Redmond.

Madeline Gauthier is a graduate of Gonzaga University Law School and the University of Florida's Graduate Tax Program. She is formerly an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Washington. Her private practice opened in Bellevue, WA in 1992, where she has specialized in estate planning, probate and the tax complications of both of those areas.

Memberships include the East King County Estate Planning Council (formerly a board member), the East King County Bar Association (previously a board member), the King County Bar Association, and the East King County Bar Probate, and Estate Section (currently chair).