For instance, if you're married, the most common way to title your home is Tenancy by the Entirety (TBE).
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!
The Bottom Line Tenancy by the entirety is a legal arrangement where a married couple shares equal ownership of a property, and ownership automatically passes to the survivor if their partner dies. This allows the survivor to avoid probate and protects the home from any claims against the other tenant.
Utilizing a revocable trust is the best way for a married couple to take title. Titling property in your trust avoids probate upon the death of both the initial and surviving spouses and preserves the capital gains step up for the entire property on the first death.
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.
How to Change Joint Tenancy to Tenants in Common? Owners can change a joint tenancy to tenants in common through a process called severance. This involves one of the joint tenants transferring their interest to themselves or to another individual or party.
The other common way by which married couples hold property is community property. California is one of the nine states that allow for community property. Under community property rules, property acquired by either spouse during a marriage is presumed to be equally owned by 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.