Cowlitz County Gift Deed Form

Cowlitz County Gift Deed Form
Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.

Cowlitz County Gift Deed Guide
Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.

Cowlitz County Completed Example of the Gift Deed Document
Example of a properly completed form for reference.
All 3 documents above included • One-time purchase • No recurring fees
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Additional Washington and Cowlitz County documents included at no extra charge:
Where to Record Your Documents
Cowlitz County Auditor: Recording
Kelso, Washington 98626
Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm Monday - Thursday
Phone: (360) 577-3006
Recording Tips for Cowlitz County:
- Ensure all signatures are in blue or black ink
- White-out or correction fluid may cause rejection
- Recording fees may differ from what's posted online - verify current rates
- Bring extra funds - fees can vary by document type and page count
- Check margin requirements - usually 1-2 inches at top
Cities and Jurisdictions in Cowlitz County
Properties in any of these areas use Cowlitz County forms:
- Ariel
- Carrolls
- Castle Rock
- Cougar
- Kalama
- Kelso
- Longview
- Ryderwood
- Silverlake
- Toutle
- Woodland
Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Cowlitz County
How do I get my forms?
Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Cowlitz County forms will be in your account ready to download to your computer. An account is created for you during checkout if you don't have one. Forms are NOT emailed.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Cowlitz County?
Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Cowlitz County including margin requirements, content requirements, font and font size requirements.
Can I reuse these forms?
Yes. You can reuse the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have multiple properties in Cowlitz County you only need to order once.
What do I need to use these forms?
The forms are PDFs that you fill out on your computer. You'll need Adobe Reader (free software that most computers already have). You do NOT enter your property information online - you download the blank forms and complete them privately on your own computer.
Are there any recurring fees?
No. This is a one-time purchase. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.
How much does it cost to record in Cowlitz County?
Recording fees in Cowlitz County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (360) 577-3006 for current fees.
Questions answered? Let's get started!
Gifts of Real Estate (Real Property) in Washington
A gift deed, or deed of gift, is a legal document voluntarily transferring title to real property from one party (the grantor or donor) to another (the grantee or donee). A gift deed typically transfers real property between family or close friends. Gift deeds are also used to donate to a non-profit organization or charity. The deed serves as proof that the transfer is indeed a gift and without consideration (any conditions or form of compensation).
In order for a gift deed to be valid they must meet the following requirements: The grantor must intend to make a present gift of the property, the grantor must deliver the property to the grantee, and the grantee must accept the gift. A gift deed must contain language that explicitly states no consideration is expected or required, because any ambiguity or reference to consideration can make the deed contestable in court. A promise to transfer ownership in the future is not a gift, and any deed that does not immediately transfer the interest in the property, or meet any of the aforementioned requirements, can be revoked [1].
A lawful gift deed includes the grantor's full name and marital status, as well as the grantee's full name, marital status, mailing address, and vesting. Vesting describes how the grantee holds title to the property. For Washington residential property, the following types of joint ownership are recognized: tenancy in common, joint tenancy and community property. A grant of ownership of real estate to two or more persons is presumed to create a tenancy in common, unless a joint tenancy with right of survivorship is expressly created in the conveyance. In the case of husband and wife, real estate automatically vests as community property (Wash. Rev. Code 26.16; 11.04.071; 64.28).
As with any conveyance of real estate, a gift deed requires a complete legal description of the parcel. If the entire legal description does not fit on the first page, use an abbreviated description, and enter the location in the document where the full description is located. It is not acceptable to "See attached" or "refer to Exhibit A" in place of abbreviating the legal description (Wash. Rev. Code 65.04.045). In Washington, any deed of real estate described by lot and block and addition or plat will not be filed or recorded until the plat of such addition has been filed for record (Wash. Rev. Code 65.04.030).
Recite the source of title to establish a clear chain of title, and detail any restrictions associated with the property. Record the completed deed, along with a completed Washington real estate excise tax affidavit, which is required for transfers by gift. A supplemental statement approved by the department must be completed and attached to the affidavit. (Wash. Rev. Code 458-61A-201)
The fee for recording a real estate deed in Washington is $73 to record the first page and $1 for each additional page. For recording plats, there is a minimum fee of $25 per plat. Each lot is $0.50 and each acknowledgment, dedication, and description is $1. (Wash. Rev. Code 36.18.010).
The grantor is responsible for paying the Federal Gift Tax. The IRS implements a Federal Gift Tax on any transfer of property from one individual to another with no consideration, or consideration that is less than the full market value. In accordance with federal law, individuals are permitted an annual exclusion of $15,000 on gifts. This means that if a gift is valued below $15,000, a federal gift tax return (Form 709) does not need to be filed. However, if the gift is something that could possibly be disputed by the IRS -- such as real property -- a grantor may benefit from filing a Form 709 [2].
In Washington, there is no state gift tax. For questions regarding state taxation laws, consult a tax specialist. Gifts of real property in Washington are, however, subject to the federal gift tax. The grantor is responsible for paying the federal gift tax; however, if the grantor does not pay the gift tax, the gratnee will be held liable [1].
With gifts of real property, the recipient of the gift (grantee) is not required to declare the amount of the gift as income, but if the property accrues income after the transaction, the recipient is responsible for paying the requisite state and federal income taxes [3].
This article is provided for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Contact a lawyer with any questions about gift deeds or other issues related to the transfer of real property. For questions regarding federal and state taxation laws, consult a tax specialist.
[1] https://nationalparalegal.edu/public_documents/courseware_asp_files/realProperty/PersonalProperty/InterVivosGifts.asp
[2] http://msuextension.org/publications/FamilyFinancialManagement/MT199105HR.pdf
[3] https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/frequently-asked-questions-on-gift-taxes
Important: Your property must be located in Cowlitz County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.
This Gift Deed meets all recording requirements specific to Cowlitz County.
Our Promise
The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Cowlitz County recording requirements for formatting. If there's an issue caused by our formatting, we'll make it right and refund your payment.
Save Time and Money
Get your Cowlitz County Gift Deed form done right the first time with Deeds.com Uniform Conveyancing Blanks. At Deeds.com, we understand that your time and money are valuable resources, and we don't want you to face a penalty fee or rejection imposed by a county recorder for submitting nonstandard documents. We constantly review and update our forms to meet rapidly changing state and county recording requirements for roughly 3,500 counties and local jurisdictions.
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October 17th, 2019
Good site. Two things to note. 1. The Documentary Transfer Tax Exemption sheet, the word "computer" is used when I think it should be "computed" Error in state form? 2. The California Trust Guide could have a watermark which is less distracting. Kind of hard to read the print with the DEEDS.COM logo so prominent.
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July 8th, 2020
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December 28th, 2020
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