In the context of joint tenancy, typically four unities are required for its valid creation: Unity of Possession, Unity of Interest, Unity of Time, and Unity of Title, collectively referred to as the 'four unities' in property law. However, one example of a 'unity' that is not required is the Unity of Marriage.
The key feature that distinguishes joint tenancy from other types of ownership rights is that the surviving joint tenant(s) acquires the shares held by another tenant upon their death.
Unlike joint tenancy, where each owner has an equal share, tenancy in common allows for specific parts or percentages of the property to be owned by each tenant. This type of ownership is often seen in situations where family members or business partners want to maintain separate shares.
Joint tenants with the right of survivorship (JTWROS) is a legal structure where two or more parties share ownership of a financial account or another asset. When one of the joint owners dies, their share automatically passes to the surviving co-owner(s).
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.
Historically, the common law required that in order for a joint tenancy to be created, the co-owners must share the “four unities” of (1) time – the property interest must be acquired by both tenants at the same time; (2) title - both tenants must have the same title to the property in the deed; (3) interest - both ...
During probate, the court will appoint an executor to oversee the distribution of your husband's assets. The executor will determine who inherits the house and any other assets. If you are the beneficiary of your husband's estate, you may be able to sell the house and avoid paying capital gains tax.
Types of Joint Ownership In the former, all owners hold an equal interest in the property. Upon the death of one joint tenant, their share automatically passes to the surviving owners. In contrast, tenants in common each own a specified share that does not automatically transfer upon death but is part of their estate.
Joint tenants have equal rights to the entire property. Therefore, they can only sell the house if everyone agrees, and one person can't decide to sell their share without everyone else's consent.
When one joint tenant dies, the other tenant automatically becomes the sole tenant. 7 This is called survivorship. It happens regardless of the tenancy type. The surviving tenant is treated as a successor.