Right of survivorship is an important legal right. It allows property owners to keep their property in the event of the co-owner’s death. For example, certain types of property (property held as joint tenancy, tenancy by the entirety, or community property with the right of survivorship) automatically pass to the surviving property owner without going through the probate process.
That said, there is a difference between joint tenancy and community property with right of survivorship. Here’s what you need to know as well as what it might mean for your property.
California Joint Tenancy: An Overview
In California, most married couples hold real property (such as land and buildings) as joint tenants with right of survivorship. Joint tenancy is a type of co-ownership of real or personal property between two or more persons in which each person owns an undivided interest of the whole. That basically means that every co-owner owns an equal share of the property without owning any specific piece.
Joint tenancy creates a right of survivorship. This means that upon death, a party’s share of property will pass to the remaining joint tenant. For instance, many married couples share real property as joint tenants. This way, upon the death of a spouse, the surviving spouse will own 100% share of the property. This process avoids probate altogether.
Community Property With Right of Survivorship: An Overview
Similar to joint tenancy with right of survivorship, community property with right of survivorship ensures a surviving spouse receives the deceased spouse’s property share. However, spouses may not pass their property interest to someone other than their spouse in a will. Unlike joint tenancy, community property with right of survivorship is restricted to married couples and registered domestic partners. That said, like joint tenancy, property automatically passes to the surviving spouse without having to go through probate.
Tenants in Common
Tenants in common is another way co-owners can take title to property. In fact, parties will automatically assume this title if they do not select another. As a tenant in common, each party owns a specified portion of property pursuant to their ownership interest. Finally, upon the death of a tenant in common, their share will pass according to the instructions in their will. Otherwise, if there is no will, the share will go through intestate succession.
At A People’s Choice, we can help prepare the legal documents needed to set up the form of property tenancy that suits your estate planning needs. Picking the right type of tenancy can protect your property from the probate process. Plus, it can ensure your spouse obtains your home upon your death. Contact us for more information about the different real estate titles available to married couples and registered domestic partners in California.
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My parents owned some acreage in Maine as Joint Tenants. Mom passed about 4 years ago, dad passed this week. They each had a will that left to the other first, and to me alone if the other did not survive. I have no idea what to do to get this in my name. Can you help?
You would have to reach out to somebody in Maine. California does not have jurisdiction over property in another state.
my wife died and with out my knowledge. or consent had changed our house to a joint tenancy Is it legally in joint tenancy now
Were you on title? I do not know how your wife could’ve changed the whole title to joint tenancy without you signing on it. She could have changed “her” interest in the property to a joint tenancy, but it would not affect your interest.
Mom owned home and added older sister as a joint tenant. Mom passed away and older sister became owner of the home. Older sister who is married to her astranged husband adds her little sister as a joint tenant to the property. Oler sister passes away and other little sister becomes the owner of the property. Does the estranged husband have any rights to the property?
Hello, With it being an estranged husband, it would be difficult to imagine the husband would have a claim. The husband should speak with an attorney to fully flush out those possibilities. Thanks,
Hello, Sandy,
My wife and I put up 2/3 of the purchase price of a condo; my wife’s son’s unmarried partner put up the other 1/3. The deed lists me, my wife and the partner as joint tenants. Does the partner own 1/3, or does she own 1/2 because we as a married couple are considered a single partner?
We have a number of articles regarding joint tenancy on our website, but generally speaking when a property is owned as joint tenancy by multiple parties, there is no specific designated share owned by each person. In this regard since there are three parties if one of you dies the property would then just go to the remaining two. it sounds like you all might want to sign a new deed that makes the property owned 2/3 between you and your spouse as joint tenants and the other 1/3 by the other party, all as tenants in common. This would then eliminate the right of survivorship issue and designate your respective shares. please be sure to talk to an attorney if you need legal advice as this is just general information.
My mom passed 5 years ago. My dad and her had a house, both names on the deed. My dad, her husband passed April 26th. We found out a quitclaim deed with “father daughter rights of survivorship” was filed an hour after he passed. It was backdated to March 18. He was having a will written up and was having revisions made a week before passing so he did not sign it. First question, we are in FL, did he have a right to sign over the deed (if it’s his signature) or did my mom still own 50% ? Second question: She is not his biological daughter or my mom’s daughter although they raised her. There are 4 kids between the marriage and 2 they adopted. Is there a way to challenge the quitclaim deed? We also believe it is not his signature.
Hello,
You should speak with an attorney in Florida.
Thank you,
Hi Sandy. My father and I own a house together in California. The Deed is Joint Tenants. Upon my father passing, can you help with transfer of title? Will there be inheiritance tax or any other taxes I will have to pay being the sole owner of the property?
Hello James, we can certainly help with that. The fee would be $200 plus notary and recording fees. There may be inheritance or other tax, we do not have any information on that but you can consult with an tax professional regarding those fees. Please call the office on 800-747-2780 if you would like a contract for services.
Does the word Survivorship has to be spelled out in the deed in California for property owned as joint tennants as husband and wife in California for the surviving spouse to inherit the property.
Generally speaking, when parties own property as “joint tenants” this means that: 1) all joint tenants have equal ownership and interest in the property; and 2)
a right of survivorship exists.
My fiancé and I bought a house together. He cheated and now wants to buy me out from my share of the house. He said he spent more money to put in solar and repairs so he will o my give me a portion of the appreciation and down return. We hold joint tenancy ownership. Is this wrong?
Hello Michelle, I would consult with an attorney or avvo.com to obtain legal advice on this issue. Should you need any documentation prepared, please call the office on 800-747-2780.
My husband and I bought a house with our daughter and her husband using the proceeds from the sale of our (mine and my husband’s) previous house. We lived together for two years. Our daughter and son-in-law are now in the process of getting a divorce. What is the correct way to remove the son-in-law from title?
Hello Patricia,
If your son-in-law is on title, he would need to sign a new deed granting his share or removing any claim to the property. We can prepare those documents for $200, please call the office on 800-747-2780 and a member of staff can take the necessary information.
My wife’s grandmother just recently passed and had no will. Her Mother has been caring for her recently passed Father, Brother, and now Mother including joint account payment of house payment. My Mother-in-law is concerned about loosing the property to probate but she has basically resided in the same house 90% of her life for as long as I’ve known her and maintained the payments of utilities, upkeep and for lack of other terms, lived there.
My question is does she need to pay some lawyer $20K when intestate says she would inherit the property anyway being the closest relative?
The only way to transfer/inherit the property would be through probate but it definately does not need to cost $20,000 in attorney statutory fees! We can assist in getting your family through the probate proceeding for a fraction of the cost. Keep in mind that if the mortgage company finds out of grandma’s passing they could cease accepting pmts if probate is not timely started. Call us at 800-747-2780 for more details about how ww can help!
Hi Sandy,
My husband passed away a couple of years ago, We had bought a house in 2004, and the title says that we were joint tenants. What do I need to do put the title of the house on my name?
Thanks for your help.
Maria Uribe
There is documentation that needs to be recorded showing that your spouse passed away. The fee for this paperwork is $200. Just give us a call at 800-747-2780 and we can get it started.
I purchased my home in 2003. My fiance moved into my home in 2015. I refinanced my home in 2016 and my fiance was added to the Grant deed. We are on the Grant deed as joint tenants. He died a few weeks ago. What do I need to do now? What forms do I need to complete? Thank you
You need to record documents showing the joint tenant has died. We can help prepare and record this. Give us a call at 800-747-2780.
Can a niece be included as joint tenancy ..
Joint tenancy can be held between any adults, whether related or friends.
[…] When one party dies the other party receives the deceased’s share. In addition, California’s Community Property Law automatically allows married couples and registered domestic partners the same rights as Joint Tenancy. Source […]
My parents purchased 4 plots at Forest Lawn Cemetery in CA about 1960. Mom died in 1975. Dad remarried in 1976. He included his wife’s name on the deed. Dad died in 1980. His second wife died in 2008, was cremated and ashes scattered at sea. She has no children. Her parents have passed. She had 2 siblings that have died. Forest Lawn wants to know if her siblings had children. The family was in Michigan. I have no personal information of her family. All information I have came from online research. How can I obtain possession of the 2 remaining plots in Forest Lawn? Does it need to go into probate? There were no Wills.
It is hard to say. It would seem that the heirship would go down the line of the new wife’s family. Talk to an attorney on this.
Hello,
My husband and I are buying a house with my mother. We are providing most of the down payment, and she will use her own money to convert the garage to an ADU. How do we structure the title until the ADU is built? Do we have the property re-titled after the ADU is built? I have two brothers who will stand to inherit a 1/3 share of my mom’s estate at some point. We are getting conflicting information. We live in California.
Hello Emily, I would get some legal advice regarding your questions. If you wish us to prepare the deed, all California deeds run $200.
Hello, Sandy. I bought a house in California in 1995. I paid for all expenses (downpayment, closing, etc..) however, my grandma helped me finance the house with a bank. She passed away about 4 yrs ago. I never looked into the grand deed, until recently. It reads…both of our names with a prase “unmarried person”. It does not say anything about right of survivorship. Can i be the executor? Would i have to pay taxes? My uncle n aunties r ok with not contesting this estate. Any other advice. Thanks.
It sounds like you may have to probate your grandmother’s estate. We can help with this process at a much lower cost than attorneys charge! Call us at 800-747-2780.
We have a quick claim deed that list my mother-in-law, my wife and myself has community property with right of Survivor ship and I am not sure after reading your article if that’s possible in the state of California and if it is what are the ramifications.
This does not sound like correct title as community property interest typically pertains to married people and obviously you are not married to your mother-in-law. You may want to have this looked at.
My daughter, her husband, and I own a house (may worth $400k）as joint tenant in California. I live in this house for more than 10 years. However, my daughter has her own house and does not live with me. I understand that I do not need to pay tax as capital gain when I sell the house. Is it necessary for my daughter to pay tax on capital gain since this house is not her residence. If yes, how to determine the percentage she and he should share?
Talk to a CPA regarding thus tax issue.
My Brother passed away and he has a vehicle that I would love to hold I would love to hold onto because it’s the last thing that I have left my brother to hold on to memories in that truck and I really want to have it, just wondering how do I go about this just transfer title but does the truck have to be involved in any type of probate it’s a newer F1 50 so if you could please give me any advice I appreciate it thank you
Hi Tony – we could certainly help you with this required documentation. Just give our office a call at 800-747-2780
as a married couple over 8 years does all the assets are combined as one. example my name is on the property not my wifes name should this mean in california we both own the property
It’s hard to say but an attorney should be able to give you more specific legal advice on this issue.
Your explanation of Joint Tenancy and Community Property with Right of Survivorship is excellent, but it leaves open the question of whether they actually mean the same in California and if that word “SURVIVORSHIP” has to be spelled out -or- if simply the statement “husband nad Wife, joint tenants suffices.Would you please kindly respond to me as I am in Hawaii and have no access to a competent sourse to answer this question. Thank you.
This is a legal question that would have legal ramifications. There is specific required wording for various types of title holding. If you are unclear, I would speak to an attorney.
As a married couple in CA is it better to hold title as community property with right of survivorship or as joint tenancy when it comes to tax purposes? We are currently in escrow and want to make the right choice!
Unfortunately, since we are not attorneys we cannot give you legal advice. Check with your CPA or a lawyer.
My husband died September 23,2015. A surplusfund for the sell of our home is available to me. But the company who took and auctioned the home wants me to file probate. All other assets were left to me, without contest. Why do I have to, and why does this company insist that I do.
You did not indicate the amount of surplus from the sale that is due you. This would make a difference of what type of proceeding you might be able to use to settle your husband‘s estate. Please feel free to give our office a call at 800-747-2780.