Adding your spouse's name to the title of your house can provide shared ownership and equal rights, but it also comes with financial and legal implications. Ultimately, the decision should be based on your individual circumstances and what's best for you and your spouse in the long run.
California is a community property state, which means that any property acquired over the course of a marriage by either spouse is regarded as belonging equally to both spouses, regardless of who purchased the property.
When buying real estate unmarried, the default way to take title is as ``tenants in common.'' Married couples usually take title as ``tenants by the entireties'' or ``joint tenants with right of survivorship.'' So changing the way title is taken on the deed post-marriage is a good idea.
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.
If you're opting for something more casual, you can simply call them Mr. & Mrs. Bryant (omitting first names) or call them both by their first names (omitting the last name).
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.
Bride and groom cohabitants man and woman Mr. and Mrs. wedded pair.
Technically, the traditional way for a married couple with the same last name is ``Mr. and Mrs. John Doe,'' which also turns my inner feminist tomato red, but a lot of the other options (married, different last names, for example) use the ``Mr. John Doe and Mrs. Jane Day'' format. :)
You need to simply sign a Quit Claim Deed transferring an undivided 50% interest in the property to your wife. You will want to have this witnessed and notarized and then recorded in the local real property records of the city/county where the property is located.