Fraudulent Transfers in Washington State
Transfers without adequate consideration or gifts
can be overturned as fraudulent in certain circumstances. This
article discusses breaking asset protection trusts and other devices to
avoid creditors
Briefly
transferring house to wife to obtain loan is fraudulent transfer
Table of Contents
Understanding trusts
Self-settled Trusts
Bankruptcy
law
Attacking Trusts and Other Asset Protection Schemes in which the
Settlor is NOT a Beneficiary
What is a “transfer”?
Statute of Limitations for fraudulent transfers
Transfer of an “asset”
Transfer made “voidable”
Creditor remedies
Future creditors protected
Establishing actual fraudulent intent
Burden of proof
Constructive frauds in general
What is
reasonably equivalent value (REV)?
Constructive Fraud
1. Transfers
without REV and debtor insolvent
2. Transfers without REV, remaining assets unreasonably small
3.Transfers made without REV, debtor unable to pay remaining debts
Preferences
Who is an “insider”?
Defenses to insider preference claims
The Internet is replete with websites touting asset
protection schemes. What they do not reveal is that they are unlikely to
work. Most states have statutes that protect creditors from asset
protection schemes through a variety of tools. Unless the trust does not
benefit the debtor, it is unlikely to serve its purpose. This article
discusses the various applicable statutes in Washington State.
Understanding
trusts
An asset protection trust is an entity created by and recognized by
court-made law (common law). “Asset protection” is a label applied to a
common law trust specifying its purpose but not describing a unique
entity. Some trusts, like Massachusetts Business Trusts, are entities
chartered by Washington’s Secretary of State in a process similar to the
creation of a corporation or limited liability company. Asset protection
trusts generally rely on the non-chartered and therefore more secret
trusts created under common law.
Modern trust law is primarily the product of centuries of decisions
starting from the 13th century in the courts of equity (Court of the
Chancery) of England. Trusts are now internationally recognized by the
Hague Convention on the Law Applicable to Trusts and on their
Recognition effective January 1, 1992.
An intentionally established trust (“express” trust) involves at
least three persons: 1) the settlor(s) or trustor(s) who transfers
property in trust to the trustee; 2) the trustee(s) who owns legal title
to the property in her own name or in the name of the trust for the
benefit of the beneficiary; and 3) the beneficiary who receives money or
property from the trust according to its terms.
Back to Table of
Contents
Self-settled Trusts
In fraud cases, the self-settled trust is usually the easiest trust
to attack. A self-settled trust is a trust in which the settlor is one
of the beneficiaries. Washington law makes self-settled trusts
ineffective against existing or subsequent creditors of the settlor. RCW
19.36.020 provides:
. . . all deeds of gift, all conveyances, and all transfers or
assignments, verbal or written, of goods, chattels or things in action,
made in trust for the use of the person making the same, shall be void
as against the existing or subsequent creditors of such person.
There is no requirement of intent to defraud or a time limit in this
statute. Even if the settlor transfers assets to a self-settled trust in
good faith and twenty years passes, creditors can theoretically attach
the assets. Washington courts have not considered whether to limit the
statute’s endless reach but have hinted that equitable defenses like
laches (inequitable delay) apply (See Prater v. Houston, 123 Wash. 640,
212 P. 1064 (1923)).
Back to Table of
Contents
Bankruptcy law
Federal bankruptcy law has additional provisions regulating
self-settled trusts that overlap Washington law. Either bankruptcy law
or state law can be used to attack a self-settled trust (In re Wallaert,
149 B.R. 665 (Bkrtcy.W.D.Wash.1992).
The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005
added a new section 548(e), addressing self-settled trusts, changing
former by extending the reach-back to the assets of self-settled trusts
from one year to ten years. The trustee's independent powers under
section 548 to avoid fraudulent transfers now allows avoidance of any
transfer by the debtor within 10 years before the filing of the
petition, to a self-settled trust or "similar device", if the debtor is
a beneficiary of the trust or device and the transfer was made with
"actual intent to hinder, delay, or defraud any entity to which the
debtor was or became, on or after the date that such transfer was made,
indebted."
In order to show the requisite fraudulent intent under section
548(e), the trustee must relate the debtor's intent to actual
(contemporaneous or subsequent) creditors, rather than merely showing
that the debtor created the device and transferred an asset to it. This
"actual intent" language is substantially identical to the language used
in the Uniform Fraudulent Transfers Act (UFTA) enacted in Washington as
RCW 19.40.011.
Because no intent is required to use RCW 19.36.020 to allow
attachment by past, present, and future creditors, the bankruptcy
provisions are rarely needed in Washington State to reach the assets of
self-settled trusts.
Back to Table of
Contents
Attacking Trusts and Other Asset Protection Schemes in which the
Settlor is NOT a Beneficiary
If the settlor is not a beneficiary, reaching the assets of the trust
is far more difficult. The primary means of attack is as a fraudulent
transfer or perhaps a preference in bankruptcy court.
Fraudulent Transfer in Washington
Washington adopted the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act (UFTA) in 1988
to replace the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act (UFCA) of 1945. The
UFCA was the first Washington statute to replace the common law
developed under the Statute 13 Elizabeth (1570).
Under UFTA, there is no requirement that a creditor first obtain a
judgment to reach property fraudulently transferred by a debtor. A
creditor without a judgment may attach or garnish the property, may
enjoin its further transfer, or may have a receiver appointed to control
the property. Since prejudgment remedies usually requires the posting of
a sizeable bond and is not final until the fraudulent transfer is
proven, the creditor often chooses to establish the fraudulent character
of a transfer in court first.
Back to Table of
Contents
What is a “transfer”?
A “transfer” includes every mode, direct or indirect, absolute or
conditional, voluntary or involuntary, of disposing of or parting with
an asset or an interest in an asset, and includes payment of money,
release, lease, and creation of a lien or other encumbrances (RCW
19.40.011(12)). Exempt and fully encumbered properties are not
considered to be “assets” (RCW 19.40.011(2))
“Transfer” includes involuntary transfers such as transfers of
interests in foreclosures, other security realization proceedings, and
lease terminations based on the debtor's default. However, in general,
noncollusive foreclosure proceedings are not voidable. UFTA also
provides that transfers of interests in connection with creditors'
realization under security agreements in compliance with UCC Article 9
and with termination of leases under lease default provisions are not
voidable (RCW 19.40.081(f)).
Statute of
Limitations for fraudulent transfers
UFTA has three statute of limitations, each of which bars the claim,
not just the remedy: 1) a four-year limit for constructively fraudulent
transfers based on lack of reasonably equivalent value having been
given; 2) a one-year limit for insider preferential transfers; 3) and a
discovery rule as an alternative to the four-year limit for transfers
made with actual fraudulent intent. Under the UFTA statute of
limitations, this cause of action is extinguished four years after the
transfer was made or the obligation was incurred or, if later, one year
after the transfer or obligation was or could reasonably have been
discovered by the claimant (RCW 19.40.091(a)).
Washington holds the UFTA continues the common law and the UFCA rule
that a claimant must have knowledge of the fraudulent nature of a
transfer before the statute of limitations begins to run. Freitag v.
McGhie, 133 Wash. 2d 816, 947 P.2d 1186 (1997), as amended, (Dec. 18,
1997) (5-4 decision), overruling McMaster v. Farmer, 76 Wash. App. 464,
886 P.2d 240 (Div. 1 1994). Therefore an action may be commenced (under
the discovery rule) any time within one year of the discovery of the
fraudulent nature of the transfer rather than within one year of the
discovery of the transfer.
Back to Table of
Contents
Transfer of an “asset”
The statute of limitations period starts to run when the transfer of
an “asset” is made. An “asset” is property owned by the debtor in which
the debtor has equity. Fully encumbered property is therefore not an
asset (RCW 19.40.011(2)(i)). Property exempt under either state or
federal nonbankruptcy law is also not an asset (RCW 19.40.011(2)(ii)).
A transfer is made when the transfer is perfected under the relevant
law. A transfer of real property other than a fixture occurs when the
transfer is perfected so that a good faith purchaser cannot acquire an
interest in the asset from the debtor that is superior to the interest
of the transferee (RCW 19.40.061(1)(i)). A transfer of an asset that is
not real property or that is a fixture is made when it is so far
perfected that a creditor on a simple contract cannot acquire a judicial
lien superior to the interest of the transferee (RCW 19.40.061(1)(ii)).
If the transfer is not perfected before commencement a UFTA action, the
transfer is deemed made immediately before the commencement of the
action (RCW 19.40.061(2)). If applicable law does not permit perfection
of a transfer, the transfer is made when it becomes effective between
the debtor and the transferee (RCW 19.40.061(3)).
Transfer made “voidable”
Under UFTA fraudulent transfers are made voidable, not void.
Therefore, if a transfer is complete, title will have passed to the
transferee and perhaps to a subsequent transferee or transferees. Those
parties will be entitled to notice and an opportunity to be heard on any
seizure of the property as well as on avoidance questions. A good-faith
transferee will be protected to the extent of value given. Protection
may be afforded by: a lien on the asset or retention of any interest
received, enforcement of any obligation incurred, or a reduction in the
amount of the liability on the judgment (RCW 19.40.081(e)).
UFTA also provides that the principles of law and equity supplement
it unless displaced by the provisions of UFTA. It includes as
supplemental possibilities the law merchant and the law relating to
principal and agent, estoppel, laches, fraud, misrepresentation, duress,
coercion, mistake, insolvency, or other validating or invalidating cause
(RCW 19.40.902).
Back to Table of
Contents
Creditor remedies
Creditors have three avenues of recovery under the UFTA. They may
recover by selling the fraudulently transferred property, by obtaining a
judgment against the transferor, and by obtaining a judgment against the
transferee. All three remedies may be pursued at the same time but
naturally the total recovery is limited to total damages suffered by the
creditor. To recover from the transferee, creditor must prove the
debtor's actual intent to hinder, delay, or defraud.
A creditor with a cause of action for any type of fraudulent
conveyance may: (1) Have the transfer or obligation avoided to the
extent necessary to satisfy the creditor's claim; (2) Attach the asset
transferred or other property of the transferee or use garnishment when
appropriate; (3) Obtain an injunction against further disposition by the
debtor or transferee (or both) of the asset transferred or of other
property; (4) Obtain appointment of a receiver to take charges of the
asset transferred or of other property of the transferee; or (5) Seek
any other relief that the circumstances may require. The injunction
remedy and appointment of a receiver require the posting of bond which
could be for significant sums. Bonds are difficult for smaller creditors
to obtain and so they must follow the alternative procedure of
depositing cash into the registry of the court in lieu of bond. This
requirement often makes these equitable remedies unavailable to small
business and creditors who are not wealthy.
The amount of the creditor’s judgment against the asset will be based
on the value of the asset at the time of transfer, subject to adjustment
for fairness. Equities requiring adjustment of the value include
enhancement of value of the property as the result of improvements made
by a good faith transferee (requiring reimbursement for the transferee)
or diminution of value by severance of timber or enrichment of the
transferee by net income from the property such as rents collected. If
the value is diminished, the transferee's liability increases.
The UFCA (the former statute) did not specifically grant a defrauded
creditor the right to hold a transferee personally liable for the value
of assets transferred, but the Washington Court of Appeals had held that
that remedy was available if the transferee “knowingly accepted the
property with an intent to assist the debtor in evading the creditor and
… placed the property beyond the creditor's reach”. (Deyong Management,
Ltd. v. Previs, 47 Wash. App. 341, 347, 735 P.2d 79, 83 (Div. 1 1987).
The UFTA (which replaced the UFCA) imposes liability on the
transferee if 1) the transfer was made with actual fraudulent intent; 2)
if the transferee did not act in good faith; and 3) the transferee did
not give reasonably equivalent value. Thus, a transferee who acted in
good faith, with no intent to assist the debtor to evade creditors, is
still personally liable if reasonably equivalent value was not given.
Despite this change in the UFTA, Division 3 of the Washington Court of
Appeals (Spokane), relying on a decision under the UFCA, affirmed
dismissal of a creditor's action against good faith transferees even
though they had given no consideration ([Thompson v. Hanson 239
P.3d 537 (Wash.,2010) transferees were liable even absent showing of
intent to hinder or delay any creditor, overruling Park Hill Corp. v.
Don Sharp, Inc., Better Homes and Gardens, 60 Wash. App. 283, 803 P.2d
326 (Div. 3 1991), relying on Deyong Management, Ltd. v. Previs, 47
Wash. App. 341, 347, 735 P.2d 79, 83 (Div. 1 1987). Division 2 has
rejected Division 3's limitations on recovery from an initial
transferee, concluding that the plain language of the UFTA permits entry
of judgment against the first transferee or the person for whose benefit
the transfer was made.
Back to Table of
Contents
Future creditors protected
A transfer made or an obligation incurred by a debtor with actual
intent to hinder, delay, or defraud any creditor of the debtor is
fraudulent as to both present and future creditors. There is a defense
for good faith transferees. If a person took the asset in good faith and
for a reasonably equivalent value, the transfer is not voidable. Value
means something of real value to the creditor. The 1985 comment to the
UFTA states that: ““[v]alue” is to be determined in light of the purpose
of the act to protect a debtor's estate from being depleted to the
prejudice of the debtor's unsecured creditors. Consideration having no
utility from a creditor's viewpoint does not satisfy the statutory
definition.” (Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act, § 3 comment, 7A U.L.A.
650 (1984) quoted with approval in Clearwater v. Skyline Const. Co.,
Inc. 67 Wash.App. 305, 322-323, 835 P.2d 257, 267 (Wash.App. Div. 1,
1992)
If the transaction is between spouses, good faith must be proven by
the transferor (RCW 26.16.210). If a transfer is voidable, a creditor
may obtain a judgment against the transferee instead of, or as well as,
seeking to avoid the transfer or obligation.
Establishing actual fraudulent intent
The Act lists eleven non-exclusive factors, similar to common law
“badges of fraud”, for determining whether the debtor had actual intent
to hinder, delay, or defraud creditors (Clayton v. Wilson, 168 Wash.2d
57, 70, 227 P.3d 278, 284 (2010; RCW 19.40.041). All the factors
tend to establish actual fraudulent intent except numbers eight and
three:
1.The transfer or obligation was to an
insider;
2. The debtor retained possession or
control of the property transferred after the transfer;
3. The transfer or obligation was
disclosed or concealed;
4. Before the transfer was made or
obligation was incurred, the debtor had been sued or threatened with
suit;
5. The transfer was of substantially
all the debtor's assets;
6. The debtor absconded;
7. The debtor removed or concealed
assets;
8. The value of the consideration
received by the debtor was not reasonably equivalent to the value of the
asset transferred or the amount of the obligation incurred;
9. The debtor was insolvent or became
insolvent shortly after the transfer was made or the obligation was
incurred;
10. The transfer occurred shortly before or shortly after a
substantial debt was incurred; and
11. The debtor transferred the essential assets of the business to a
lienor who transferred the assets to an insider of the debtor.
Back to Table of
Contents
Burden of Proof
Even if circumstantial evidence of fraud can be established through
the eleven statutory elements, there will likely be a trial on the issue
of intent. The transferor will deny intent to defraud so the trier of
fact must hear testimony and assess the witnesses' credibility on the
issue of good faith. Proof of actual intent to defraud must be
demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence, while only substantial
evidence is necessary to establish the other types of fraud (see
Sparkman & McLean Co. v. Derber, 4 Wash.App. 341, 481 P.2d 585 (1971);
N.B. legal experts suggest this case does not fully consider all the
possible burdens of proof).
Summary judgment may be possible (1) if the transfer was to a spouse
or domestic partner (RCW 26.16.210 – burden to prove good faith shifts
to transferor) or other insider and (2) the transferor becomes insolvent
because of the transfer (“the act of transferring the property is
conclusive evidence of fraud, and the intent is presumed from the act”
since it rendered the transferor insolvent, Clayton v. Wilson, 168
Wash.2d 57, 71, 227 P.3d 278, 284 (Wash., 2010). However summary
judgment can be avoided if insolvency is denied and cannot be easily
proven). In Clayton the court reached its result by looking to the Act’s
mention of “insiders” which the court defined as “a broad group that
includes relatives, as well as partnerships, general partners, and
corporations”.)
Constructive frauds in general
A constructively fraudulent transfer or obligation is fraudulent
regardless of the transferor or transferee’s intent. Under RCW
19.40.041, a creditor must establish that the transfer was made to an
insider or that the transferor did not receive reasonably equivalent
value in exchange and:
(1) The debtor was
insolvent at the time of the transfer or became insolvent as a result of
the transfer or obligation (fraudulent only as to present creditors) RCW
19.40.041(b)(9)]; or
(2) The debtor was
engaged in or about to engage in a business or a transaction for which
the debtor's remaining assets were unreasonably small in relation to the
business or transaction (fraudulent as to both present and future
creditors),[RCW 19.40.041(a)(2)(i)]; or
(3) The debtor
intended to incur, or believed or reasonably should have believed that
he or she would incur, debts beyond his or her ability to pay as they
became due (fraudulent as to both present and future creditors).[ RCW
19.40.041(a)(2)(i)].
Back to Table of
Contents
What is “reasonably equivalent value” (REV)?
“Reasonably equivalent value” is not defined in the Act except in the
context of foreclosure. The REV concept is adopted from the fraudulent
transfer provision of the Bankruptcy Code [11 U.S.C.A. § 548(a)(2)] so
decisions under the Code provide guidance to its meaning.
The Act defines “Value” as property transferred or antecedent debt is
secured or satisfied in exchange for a transfer or obligation, but it
excludes an executory promise to furnish support to the debtor or
another person unless the promise is made in the ordinary course of the
promisor's business [RCW 19.40.031(a)]. In the case of a grant of a
security interest, reasonably equivalent value is the value of the
interest transferred and the value exceeding the debt is available to
creditors [Sedwick v. Gwinn, 73 Wash. App. 879, 873 P.2d 528 (Div. 1
1994)].
A transfer is for “present value” if the exchange is intended by the
debtor to be contemporaneous and is in fact substantially
contemporaneous [RCW 19.40.031(c)].
The price paid for property at a foreclosure sale is often
substantially below fair market value. The UFTA provides a safe harbor
for purchasers who give “reasonably equivalent value” if the purchaser
acquires a debtor's interest in an asset pursuant to a regularly
conducted, noncollusive foreclosure sale or execution of a power of sale
for the acquisition or disposition of the interest of the debtor upon
default under a mortgage, deed of trust, or UCC Article 9 security
agreement [RCW 19.40.031(b)]. In 5-41 decision, the United States
Supreme Court reached the same conclusion regarding mortgage foreclosure
sale of real estate [BFP v. Resolution Trust Corp., 511 U.S. 531, 114 S.
Ct. 1757, 128 L. Ed. 2d 556 (1994)].
A transfer is not voidable if a secured party enforces a security
interest in compliance with UCC Article 9 or if a landlord terminates a
lease after default pursuant to the lease and applicable law [RCW
19.40.081(e)].
Constructive Fraud
UFTA sanctions three types of transfers even if the transferee is
innocent of actual fraud. This is known as constructive fraud and arises
when the transferor after the transfer 1) is insolvent; 2) is left with
an unreasonably small amount of capital to carry on business; or 3) does
not have enough assets to pay creditors.
Back to Table of
Contents
1. Transfers without REV and debtor insolvent
The law deems a transfer or obligation to be constructively
fraudulent (regardless of the knowledge or intent of the transferee) if
1) the transferor did not receive reasonably equivalent value in
exchange and 2) the transferor was insolvent at the time of the transfer
or became insolvent as a result of the transfer or obligation [RCW
19.40.051(a)].
There are two tests of insolvency. Proof of either one is sufficient
to prove insolvency. A debtor is insolvent under the “asset test” if the
sum of the debtor's debts is greater than the fair valuation of the
debtor's assets [RCW 19.40.021(a)]. A debtor who is not paying his or
her debts as they become due is presumed to be insolvent [RCW
19.40.021(b)] under the “debt payment test”.
Transferred property reduces the assets of the debtor and increases
the likelihood of insolvency under the asset test. In other words,
“assets” as used in the definition of insolvency do not include property
that has been transferred, concealed, or removed with intent to hinder,
delay, or defraud creditors or that has been transferred in a manner
making the transfer voidable under the UFTA [RCW 19.40.021(d)].
Under the debt repayment test, “debts” used in the calculation of
insolvency do not include an obligation secured by a “valid” lien on
property of the debtor not included as an asset (e.g. exempt or
transferred property) to the extent of the value of the asset. The
amount of the debt that exceeds the value of the collateral is “debt” [RCW
19.40.021(d)]. A lien is “valid” if it is effective against the holder
of a judicial lien subsequently obtained by legal or equitable process
or proceedings [RCW 19.40.011(13)].
Constructively fraudulent transactions due to insolvency are only
fraudulent to creditors whose claims arose before the transfer was made
or the obligation was incurred [RCW 19.40.051(a)].
The statute of limitations for this type of constructive fraud
actions is four years after the transfer was made or the obligation was
incurred [RCW 19.40.091(b)].
2. Transfers without REV, remaining assets unreasonably small
The law deems a transfer or obligation to be constructively
fraudulent (regardless of the knowledge or intent of the transferee) if
1) the transferor did not receive reasonably equivalent value and the
debtor was engaged in or about to engage in a business or a transaction
for which the debtor's remaining assets were unreasonably small in
relation to the business or transaction [RCW 19.40.041(a)(2)(i)].
This type of constructive fraud is fraudulent as to both present and
future creditors [RCW 19.40.041(a)].
The statute of limitations for this type of constructive fraud
actions is four years after the transfer was made or the obligation was
incurred [RCW 19.40.091(b)].
Back to Table of
Contents
3.Transfers made without REV, debtor unable to pay remaining debts
A transfer or obligation is constructively fraudulent if it is made
or incurred without the debtor receiving reasonably equivalent value and
the debtor intended to incur, or believed or reasonably should have
believed that he or she would incur, debts beyond his or her ability to
pay as they became due [RCW 19.40.041(a)(2)(ii)].
The Washington Court of Appeals applied this rule to a construction
contract case. The contractor was a corporation which purchased land to
build a custom house under a contract with the buyer of the house. A
dispute over construction costs developed. Nine months after the
purchase and just before litigation began, the president of the
construction company transferred the property to herself without
consideration. She claimed the original deed in the corporation’s name
was a mistake. The trial court accepted this testimony and did not find
a fraudulent transfer even though it found several “badges of fraud”.
The appellate court agreed that there was no proof of fraudulent
intent but concluded there was constructive fraud because there was not
REV and the contractor corporation was left without sufficient funds to
pay the judgment. Clearwater v. Skyline Const. Co., Inc., 67 Wash.App.
305, 321, 835 P.2d 257, 266 (Wash.App. Div. 1,1992).
This case also left in place the two tier burden of proof: “. . . [U]nder
the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act (UFCA), which preceded the UFTA
and which contained essentially similar provisions, proof of actual
intent to defraud was to be demonstrated by “clear and satisfactory
proof”. In contrast, proof of a fraudulent conveyance on the other
statutory grounds was to be shown by “substantial evidence”. . . . .
[W]e adopt the foregoing distinction between the quantum of evidence
required to prove actual intent to defraud and that required to prove a
fraudulent transfer on the other grounds provided under the UFTA”. Thus
only “substantial evidence” was required to prove fraudulent transfer
when the debtor is unable to pay remaining debts.
This type of transaction is fraudulent as to both present and future
creditors [RCW 19.40.041(a)]. Under the UFTA statute of limitations,
this cause of action must be brought within four years after the
transfer was made or the obligation was incurred [RCW 19.40.091(b)].
Preferences
A transfer to an insider for an antecedent debt is deemed fraudulent
if the debtor was insolvent at the time and the insider had reasonable
cause to believe that the debtor was insolvent. The definition of
insolvency is the same throughout UFTA.
See previous
section.
Preferences are only fraudulent to creditors whose claims existed at the
time of the transfer [RCW 19.40.051(b)].
Under the UFTA statute of limitations, this cause of action must be
brought within one year after the transfer was made or the obligation
was incurred [RCW 19.40.091(c)].
Back to Table of
Contents
Who is an “insider”?
The “insider” term is defined in detail in the UFTA and is based on
the bankruptcy code definition [11 U.S.C. § 101(31)]:
(7) “Insider” includes:
(i) If the debtor is an individual:
(A) A relative of the debtor or of a general partner of the debtor;
(B) A partnership in which the debtor is a general partner;
(C) A general partner in a partnership described in subsection (7)(i)(B)
of this section; or
(D) A corporation of which the debtor is a director, officer, or
person in control;
(ii) If the debtor is a corporation:
(A) A director of the debtor;
(B) An officer of the debtor;
(C) A person in control of the debtor;
(D) A partnership in which the debtor is a general partner;
(E) A general partner in a partnership described in subsection
(7)(ii)(D) of this section; or
(F) A relative of a general partner, director, officer, or person in
control of the debtor;
(iii) If the debtor is a partnership:
(A) A general partner in the debtor;
(B) A relative of a general partner in, or a general partner of, or a
person in control of the debtor;
(C) Another partnership in which the debtor is a general partner;
(D) A general partner in a partnership described in subsection
(7)(iii)(C) of this section; or
(E) A person in control of the debtor;
(iv) An affiliate, or an insider of an affiliate as if the affiliate
were the debtor; and
(v) A managing agent of the debtor [RCW 19.40.011].
This list is not exclusive. There may be other situations that the
court will find an “insider” relationship exists. A “relative” includes
an individual related by consanguinity within the third degree as
determined by the common law, a spouse, or an individual related to a
spouse within the third degree as so determined, and includes an
individual in an adoptive relationship within the third degree [RCW
19.40.011(11)].
Defenses to insider preference claims
A transfer to an insider is not voidable in three circumstances [RCW
19.40.081(f)]:(1) To the extent the insider gave new value, not secured
by a valid lien, to or for the benefit of the debtor after the transfer
was made; (2) If made in the ordinary course of business or financial
affairs of the debtor and the insider; or (3) If made pursuant to a
good-faith effort to rehabilitate the debtor, and the transfer secured
present value given for that purpose as well as an antecedent debt of
the debtor.
A lien is valid if it is effective against the holder of a judicial
lien subsequently obtained by legal or equitable process or proceedings
[RCW 19.40.011(13)]. Court decisions on the parallel bankruptcy
provisions give guidance in application of these UFTA defenses.
Back to Table of
Contents