{"id":803,"date":"2020-01-02T06:00:22","date_gmt":"2020-01-02T11:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/?p=803"},"modified":"2024-04-25T23:20:32","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T03:20:32","slug":"when-a-spouse-partner-or-relative-dies-whats-next-for-the-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/when-a-spouse-partner-or-relative-dies-whats-next-for-the-home\/","title":{"rendered":"When a Spouse, Partner, or Relative Dies: What&#8217;s Next for the Home?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" src=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/real-estate-and-death-1024x538.jpg\" alt=\"Image of a woman that looks sad standing next to a window inside a home. Captioned: Real Estate and Death.\" class=\"wp-image-804\" style=\"width:512px;height:269px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/real-estate-and-death-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/real-estate-and-death-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/real-estate-and-death-768x403.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/real-estate-and-death.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Real Estate and Death<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Homes are\ncomplicated assets. When a homeowner dies, this becomes obvious. When loved\nones are experiencing grief and loss, the real estate details can border on overwhelming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If someone\nin your life died holding an interest in real estate, here is some general\nguidance. You might have some actions to take, depending on the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How\nDoes Home Ownership Transfer&nbsp;on Death? Four Common Situations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>How a home\ntransfers after death varies, depending on the circumstances of ownership.\nWe\u2019ll start with a simple\u2014and very common\u2014scenario.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1.\nWhen a Co-Owner Has Right of Survivorship<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If the\nperson who passed co-owned the home, the owners might have held equal shares\nwith a&nbsp;<em>right of\nsurvivorship<\/em>. A right of survivorship overrides any contrary\ndirections in someone\u2019s will. The home&nbsp;automatically transfers to the\nsurviving co-owner, as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The surviving<em> joint owner with rights of survivorship<\/em> continues to own the property, with the right to sell. (If there are multiple surviving co-owners, they all get these rights, in equal shares.) <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In some states, couples hold property as<em> tenants by the entirety<\/em>. This gives each marriage partner some protection against a spouse&#8217;s creditors. Yet after the death of an owner, this type of vesting is treated as a joint ownership with rights of survivorship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you hold\nrights of survivorship, bring a certified copy of the late&nbsp;co-owner\u2019s\ndeath certificate to the county. You&#8217;ll submit an&nbsp;<em>affidavit of survivorship<\/em>&nbsp;to\nthe county recorder of deeds, who will effect the transfer and remove&nbsp;the\nlate owner from&nbsp;the title.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If there\u2019s a\nmortgage, speak to your loan servicer about continuing to pay it. Some\nsurviving spouses pay off the mortgage to downsize at this point. If you decide\nto sell, the title company should be able to help you obtain a payoff letter\nand close on your home sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2.\nWhen the Property Was Held by&nbsp;Tenants in Common&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your title\nmight be&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/hows-your-property-vested-it-matters-as-much-as-your-will-or-trust\/\">vested<\/a>&nbsp;as a tenancy in\ncommon. Or, if you\u2019re a surviving owner and your title doesn\u2019t say joint\ntenancy, by default, under state&nbsp;law, you likely owned the home as tenants\nin common. This is another common type of vesting, chosen by&nbsp;unrelated\nco-owners, or remarried owners wanting to leave their portion to adult children\nfrom an earlier marriage. The deed may attribute different percentages of\ninterest to each owner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The interest\nmust go into probate so the personal representative can distribute it\u2014not to\nother co-owner(s), but&nbsp;to the person named in the&nbsp;will (or\nan&nbsp;heir as directed by state law if no will exists). The\nnew&nbsp;beneficiary then enters a tenancy&nbsp;in common with the existing co-owner(s).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether the\nsurviving owner keeps&nbsp;the interest in the house or sells it (see <em>When Should You Think About Selling\nthe Home,<\/em> below), the probate process takes the late owner&#8217;s name\noff the title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3.\nWhen a Sole Owner Dies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course,\nmany a deed&nbsp;names just one owner. This&nbsp;can be the case even if the\nhomeowner&nbsp;has married.&nbsp;When the sole legal owner dies, the home\ntypically goes into probate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If there is\na will, the personal representative for the late homeowner is the<em>&nbsp;executor <\/em>named in\nthe will.&nbsp;At the close of probate, the executor conveys the property\nfrom&nbsp;the estate&nbsp;to the&nbsp;new property owner. The executor,\nfollowing state law, might need to formally request that the probate court\nissue an order approving the&nbsp;home transfer to the person named in the\nwill.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\nagain,&nbsp;the process takes the late owner&#8217;s name off the title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4.\nWhen a&nbsp;Marriage Partner Dies in a Community Property State<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>What about a home bought in marriage in&nbsp;a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/irm\/part25\/irm_25-018-001\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">community property<\/a>&nbsp;state? These states are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Arizona<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>California<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Idaho<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Louisiana<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nevada<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>New Mexico<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Texas\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Washington<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wisconsin\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In Alaska,\ntoo, couples can opt into community property. Much\nlike&nbsp;joint&nbsp;tenancy, community property belongs to both\nspouses&nbsp;in equal shares. But unless they\u2019re identified as owners of&nbsp;<em>community property with rights of\nsurvivorship, <\/em>the deceased spouse&#8217;s interest won\u2019t automatically\nvest&nbsp;in the surviving partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The deceased\npartner could have willed the interest to somebody else\u2014who will now co-own\nwith the&nbsp;surviving partner as tenants in common. If the deceased partner\ndid not leave their share to anyone else, the surviving marriage partner does\nreceive&nbsp;the additional interest. Yet before selling or refinancing, the\nsurviving spouse must clear the title. If the spouses drew up a proper&nbsp;<em>community property agreement <\/em>to\navoid probate, the surviving co-owner may simply record it. Otherwise, probate\nis needed to legally transfer the&nbsp;title to the surviving life partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Trust Scenario: When a Special Legal\nVehicle Exists to Convey the Home<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If the will\ndoes not pass the house along, and the title vesting doesn\u2019t automatically pass\nthe interest, there might be other documents. Did the person create&nbsp;a\nliving trust to avoid probate? If so, property passes as stated in the trust,\nbut any debts stay with the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some states\nallow owners to record their home properties on revocable <em>transfer on death<\/em>&nbsp;deeds\nin the home\u2019s county, naming an intended&nbsp;beneficiary. If that beneficiary\nis&nbsp;you, work with&nbsp;your county&nbsp;to file the documentation, execute\nthe deed, and transfer the title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Note:\nTransfer on death deeds offer no&nbsp;warranty against title defects. Before\naccepting one, find out if the title company will cover a home conveyed by\ntransfer on death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When\nShould You Think About Selling the Home?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You might be\ninclined sell the home for various reasons. If you have a willing buyer, ask\nthe executor to petition for a&nbsp;court-ordered sale. Check for any mortgages\nor reverse mortgages, or other debt, that the executor must pay off before\ndistributing the sale proceeds. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes,\nthe adult children are named in the will and find themselves co-owning with a\nsurviving spouse or life partner, or each other. If a new property-sharing\ndynamic means you\u2019d like to sell your part,&nbsp;an&nbsp;executor&#8217;s deed can\ntransfer your share. All co-owners and the executor should sign the deed, and\nhave it properly witnessed, notarized, and recorded with the property\u2019s\ncounty.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nuts,\nBolts, and Locks: Safeguarding and Selling the House<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Set on selling? Review the\u00a0<a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/businesses\/small-businesses-self-employed\/deceased-taxpayers-probate-filing-estate-and-individual-returns-paying-taxes-due\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">IRS guidelines on estate sales<\/a>, to\u00a0plan for taxes and lien removals. The estate will address the home&#8217;s financial obligations before you, as beneficiary, receive\u00a0the title. Stay alert, and insure your asset with care. A\u00a0<em>personal representative deed\u00a0<\/em>gives you no warranty for the title&#8217;s history before probate.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And during\nthe&nbsp;process, keep the home safe. Change&nbsp;the locks. Redirect&nbsp;the\nmail. Be sure the personal representative keeps up with insurance, maintenance,\nutility, and landscaping bills, and handles the mortgage (or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/should-you-get-a-reverse-mortgage-consider-this\/\">reverse mortgage<\/a>) until you acquire\nor close on the home. Do not start paying bills yourself. State law outlines a\ndebt priority order that the estate must follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are estate sale companies that can help you empty the home of furniture and keepsakes if you plan to sell. A real estate professional can tell you&nbsp;what renovations are necessary, and should be able to guide you in ways that fit the circumstances. For example, did the late owner pass away at home? In Alaska, California, or&nbsp;South Dakota, your realtor must&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.realtor.com\/advice\/sell\/do-you-have-to-disclose-a-death-in-a-house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">disclose<\/a>&nbsp;this to potential buyers who wouldn&#8217;t know.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The\nKey Documents in the Home Transfer &nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Generally,\nthe surviving family member or friend must know about&nbsp;a few key documents.\nYour county public law library&nbsp;supplies the&nbsp;necessary forms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Affidavit of Death<\/strong>: A person who was close to the homeowner signs a document called the <em>affidavit of death<\/em>, which includes a property description and affirms that the late resident was, in fact, the legal owner of the home. This notarized document applies for property held in joint tenancy, as community property with the right of survivorship, a living trust, or a transfer on death deed. It&#8217;s recorded, together with a certified copy of a death certificate, to consummate the home sale and change the title. Your county may accept in-person recordings or accept mailed forms. Check with the clerk or recorder&#8217;s office. Be sure to enclose the required recording fee for the affidavit <em>plus\u00a0<\/em>the death certificate. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR):<\/strong> Among the closing documents is the PCOR, which sets forth state tax for the home. The form asks for the names of the former and new owner, the home\u2019s value, any homeowner\u2019s exemption that applies, and if there\u2019s a reason why the existing property tax should be retained. Speak carefully with the escrow agent and be sure the PCOR is attached to the executor\u2019s deed. This will avert extra forms, fees, and penalties from the county and state.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of Probate Affidavit:<\/strong> This is needed if the home is conveyed outside the court-supervised probate process. While this document enables you to insure the title and sell or refinance the home, it does<em> not<\/em>remove a deceased owner from the title.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When the\npaperwork is complete, the county records the transfer, accepts its fees, and\nissues a new title deed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common\nIssues<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>After a homeowner dies, surviving loved ones can face a range of challenges, but estate tax is probably not one of them.&nbsp;Estates valued under&nbsp;$11.58 million are&nbsp;exempt from 2020 estate tax.&nbsp;A surviving spouse\u2014including in a same-sex marriage\u2014is exempt from federal estate tax on assets in any case. But call the state revenue department and find out if<em> state<\/em> estate taxes&nbsp;apply. And ask if you need a state&nbsp;<strong>Real Estate&nbsp;Excise Tax Affidavit<\/strong>&nbsp;to report the transfer as a&nbsp;non-taxable event. Land passing to the&nbsp;surviving spouse is&nbsp;exempt&nbsp;from transfer and inheritance&nbsp;taxes. It is vital to speak with your accountant or tax professional to understand&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.americanbar.org\/groups\/real_property_trust_estate\/resources\/estate_planning\/estate_gift_and_gst_taxes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">applicable&nbsp;federal taxes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are\nsome additional issues that could arise:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Nobody\nHas Survivorship Rights and There\u2019s No Will<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Have&nbsp;you&nbsp;searched\nexhaustively and found no will? Petition the probate court to deem the\nestate&nbsp;<em>intestate.<\/em>&nbsp;Without\na will, there is no executor, so the court appoints an a<em>dministrator<\/em> as the\npersonal representative of the deceased. Then, the court seeks heirs under your\nstate&#8217;s&nbsp;<em>order of\nsuccession<\/em>&nbsp;to find the&nbsp;relative next in line to inherit the\nproperty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The\nDeceased Homeowner Was a Same-Sex Partner&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Past legal\nexclusions, now considered unconstitutional, denied same-sex partners the\nability to inherit under&nbsp;intestate succession and other state laws.\nConsult with a family lawyer to seek fairness under common-law marriage and\nother provisions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">You\u2019d\nRather Not Have This Home<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If the\nrisks,&nbsp;costs, or adjustments of owning a new home are unwanted, and buying\ntitle insurance would not solve the issues, you may&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/refusing-to-accept-a-deed\/\">refuse the&nbsp;deed<\/a>. Move quickly, as\nthe Internal Revenue Service requires you to do this within&nbsp;nine months.\nCheck your state\u2019s rules for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/forms\/ohio\/disclaimer-of-interest\/\">disclaiming your\ninterest<\/a>,\ntoo.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">You\nReasonably Believed You\u2019d Get the House\u2014But Didn\u2019t<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In some\ncases, it might seem obvious that something isn&#8217;t fair. You may approach the\ncourt, if your state permits,&nbsp;to argue that the deceased person meant for\nyou, or another specific person,&nbsp;to receive the title. If you&nbsp;decide\nto contest the will, the court will look at whether actions of the deceased\nperson while alive showed a desire to give to the party who is now\nreceiving&nbsp;the home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The intent\nof the deceased person is important to the court. An attorney who works with\nwills and estates in your state can explain evidence of intent, the probate\ncode, and rights of beneficiaries. If you need to take legal action,\nchoose&nbsp;an&nbsp;estate litigator&nbsp;who knows the local&nbsp;court\nprocedures.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">We&#8217;re\nHere to Help<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/contact-us\/\">Contact us<\/a>&nbsp;if we can assist you with any\nforms. We make sure&nbsp;<em>Deeds.com&nbsp;<\/em>forms\nare easily&nbsp;downloaded and completed, and always up-to-date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, note that&nbsp;this guide is a general reference, not legal advice. We understand that homes are complicated, especially where loss and grief are present.&nbsp;For decision-making guidance&nbsp;based&nbsp;on an examination of your own situation,&nbsp;facts, needs, and expectations,&nbsp;the counsel of an experienced attorney&nbsp;is necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><strong>Photo by <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@dsmacinnes?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\">Danielle MacInnes<\/a>&nbsp;on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/s\/photos\/grief?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Unsplash<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Homes are complicated assets. When a homeowner dies, this becomes obvious. When loved ones are experiencing grief and loss, the real estate details can border on overwhelming. If someone in your life died holding an interest in real estate, here is some general guidance. You might have some actions to take, depending on the situation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[107,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-803","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-elder","category-probate"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>When a Spouse, Partner, or Relative Dies: What&#039;s Next for the Home? - Deeds.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If someone in your life died holding an interest in real estate, here is some general guidance. 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