Establishing a revocable living trust allows for the seamless transfer of ownership of real estate properties to beneficiaries and avoids probate. It can help tenants in common maintain privacy during the transfer of estate assets, avoid tax implications, and avoid probate proceedings when a co-owner dies.
This automatic transfer to the survivors is called the "right of survivorship." The property doesn't go through probate court—the survivor(s) need only shuffle some simple paperwork to get the property into their names.
Joint Tenancy Survivorship Rule: Upon the death of one owner, their share automatically passes to the surviving owner(s), regardless of the deceased's will.
When there are joint tenants, however, each person owns the whole property with the other, and when the co-owner dies, their stake in the property automatically passes to the surviving co-owners. We will get into this in more detail next. Related Article: Intestate Succession Order Under California Probate Law.
One common method is to create a revocable trust. A revocable trust allows you to maintain control of your property during your life, and decide how the property is distributed after death, without needing to go through probate court.
“If one co-owner wishes to sell their share, it may dissolve the arrangement,” Shirshikov says. “Additionally, creditors of one owner can pursue the property, impacting all co-owners. Plus, this setup also lacks the estate planning advantages of a trust, as the right of survivorship overrides any wills that exist.”
Protect your assets - update your estate plan today Luckily, there are solutions. First and foremost, there are a number of asset types that typically do not pass through probate. This includes life insurance policies, bank accounts, and investment or retirement accounts that require you to name a beneficiary.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Being Tenants In Common? Definition of each. Differences and similarities. Equal ownership responsibilities. No automatic right of survivorship. Ability to sell share without consent. Potential conflicts with co-owners. Researching co-owners. Having a well-drafted agreement.
If you co-own a property as tenants in common, each co-owner owns a specific share of the property. This is typically a 50% share each, however it is possible to hold unequal shares.
These are Joint Tenants and Tenants in Common. They apply regardless of whether you are married, in a civil partnership, or unmarried. Both these two types of ownership give the owners rights of occupation in the property, whether you are married or unmarried.