Further tenancy in common allows parties to hold unequal shares of property interest. Joint tenancy requires each co-owner to hold equal shares of property. Further, co-owners must transfer the deed at the same time. In this sense, joint tenancy is rigid compared to tenancy in common.
Finally, in my state of Illinois, unmarried couples can hold title as Tenants in Common or Joint Tenants BUT once they get married, they qualify to take title as Tenants by the Entirety, which they would do by signing and recording a new deed.
For example, when one of 2 owners of an asset held in joint tenancy dies, the surviving owner becomes the sole owner of the asset. A tenancy in common is a form of ownership by 2 or more persons in which each person owns an interest in an asset that is less than the entire value of the asset.
Joint tenancy is most common among married couples because it helps property owners avoid probate. Without joint tenancy, a spouse would have to wait for their partner's Last Will to go through a legal review process—which can take months or even years.
Tenancy in common allows multiple owners to own title in a property, but rather than owning equally, the owners can set varying ownership percentages. For example, one owner could own 51% of the property, with the other owning 49%.
Further tenancy in common allows parties to hold unequal shares of property interest. Joint tenancy requires each co-owner to hold equal shares of property. Further, co-owners must transfer the deed at the same time. In this sense, joint tenancy is rigid compared to tenancy in common.
Tenants in common gives you more protections and you can specify in a deed of trust what you would want to happen in the event of relationship breakdown (eg if one of you has first dibs to buy the other out, or a time limit on doing so etc) which is definitely better to decide now whilst you still like each other!
Finally, in my state of Illinois, unmarried couples can hold title as Tenants in Common or Joint Tenants BUT once they get married, they qualify to take title as Tenants by the Entirety, which they would do by signing and recording a new deed.
For instance, if you're married, the most common way to title your home is Tenancy by the Entirety (TBE). That endows survivorship rights, some creditor protection, and allows for transfers only with the consent of both spouses.
Joint Tenancy Definition Common Use: This form of ownership is popular among married couples or family members, as it ensures that the property passes to the surviving owner(s) without the need for probate. Legal Implications: In Joint Tenancy, each owner has an undivided interest in the entire property.