A: Yes, you can! In California, two individuals can take title to real property as tenants-in-common, and in whichever percentages the owners agree on. For example, your brother could own an 80% interest as a tenant-in-common while you own a 20% interest as a...
Title and Deeds
Q: What are the 3 ways I can revoke a TOD deed I recorded for my home a couple of years ago?
A: Record a revocation Record a new TOD deed, or Record a deed transferring the property to a third party or a trust And remember: A TOD deed CANNOT be revoked by a will!
Q: Is there any way my kids can avoid probate if I DON’T use a living trust to transfer my home?
A: You're in luck! California's Revocable Transfer on Death Deed (RTODD) offers a cost-effective shortcut to leave your home directly to your heirs, bypassing the expensive and lengthy probate process. Depending on the individual circumstances of each client, this...
Q: Does a revocable transfer on death deed (“TOD Deed”) only need to be notarized to be valid in California?
A: No! Under recent law changes, the TOD deed now needs to be both notarized and witnessed by two disinterested parties (the Notary Public may act as one of the witnesses). Moreover, in order to be valid, the TOD deed must be recorded within 60 days of the...
Q: One of my 2024 goals is to purchase a California investment property with my sister, but she is able to invest more than I can. Can we own the property together in different percentages?
A: Yes, you can! In California, two individuals can take title to real property as tenants-in-common, and in whichever percentages the owners agree on. For example, your sister could own an 80% interest as a tenant-in-common while you own a 20% interest as a...
Q: If I only want 2 of my 3 children to inherit my home, would it be advisable to use a revocable transfer on death deed?
A: We would only recommend the use of the revocable transfer on death (TOD Deed) if you would like to leave your house in equal shares to all of your children, and none of your children have any spendthrift issues and/or special needs considerations (remember, title...
Q: My late father owned a duplex as a joint tenant with his sister when he died. We also found his will, which stated he left all of his assets to me and my sister. Who will end up owning the duplex?
A: Unfortunately, your aunt now owns that duplex. By operation of law, when your father died, the surviving joint tenant automatically owned the entire duplex, which meant that the will had no legal effect over the disposition of your father's interest in the duplex....
Q: Once I have a trust, do I have to re-title all of my cars into the Trust?
A: Fortunately, if the cars are registered with the California DMV, you will not have to do anything to change or update the pink slips. Specifically, this little perk is brought to us by Probate Code Section 13050(b)(1), which excludes any such cars from a decedent's...
Q: My mom recently died without a will and had a vacant parcel of land in Modoc County worth about $10,000. Can my sister and I transfer title to ourselves without a probate?
A: Yes! Assuming your mother didn't have any other probatable assets, you and your sister can file with the court a Form DE-305 in the County where the land is located to have the property title transferred without probate.
Q: I transferred title to my current home to my trust when my trust was created. I am now selling my home and and am purchasing a new one. How should I take title to my new home?
A: You should take title to your new home in the same way that you hold title to your current home - as trustee of your trust. This will ensure that your new home is a trust asset and that it is not at risk of going through probate to be administered after your death....