A spouse or domestic partner may give, grant, sell or convey directly to the other spouse or other domestic partner his or her community right, title, interest or estate in all or any portion of their community real property: And every deed made from one spouse to the other or one domestic partner to the other, shall operate to divest the real estate therein recited from any or every claim or demand as community property and shall vest the same in the grantee as separate property. The grantor in all such deeds, or the party releasing such community interest or estate shall sign, seal, execute and acknowledge the deed as a single person without the joinder therein of the married party or party to a state registered domestic partnership therein named as grantee: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That the conveyances or transfers hereby authorized shall not affect any existing equity in favor of creditors of the grantor at the time of such transfer, gift or conveyance. AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That any deeds of gift conveyances or releases of community estate by or between spouses or between domestic partners heretofore made but in which both spouses or both domestic partners have not joined as grantors, said deeds, where made in good faith and without intent to hinder, delay or defraud creditors, shall be and the same are hereby fully legalized as valid and binding.
[ 2008 c 6 § 605; 1888 c 27 § 1; RRS § 10572.]
NOTES:
Part headings not law—Severability—2008 c 6: See RCW 26.60.900 and 26.60.901.
Validating—1888 c 27: "All powers of attorney heretofore made and executed by any married woman joined with her husband and duly acknowledged and certified and all powers of attorney heretofore made or executed by husband or wife to the other, authorizing the sale or other disposition of real estate, whether separate or community real estate duly acknowledged conformably with the previous sections, and all conveyances heretofore and hereafter executed under and by virtue of such powers of attorney and acknowledged and certified in the manner provided herein, shall be valid and binding; provided, that any rights vested in third persons shall not be affected by anything in this section contained." [ 1888 c 27 § 5.] This applies to RCW 26.16.050 and 26.16.070 through 26.16.090.
Acknowledgments: Chapter 64.08 RCW.
Burden of proof in transactions between spouses or domestic partners: RCW 26.16.210.