Certain legal terms cause people to clutch their wallets in fear. With regard to income taxes, people fear the word “audit”. In family law, they fear the word “alimony”. The scariest word in estate planning is “probate,” which refers to the process by which the court effectively dictates what happens to a deceased person’s property. Knowing the term “transfer on death deed” can make probate far less scary. Unfortunately, since the implementation of this new estate planning tool, people are discovering title insurance problems with transfer on death deeds.

What our Clients Say...
“I needed help understanding and filling out legal documents but I didn’t have enough money to pay for an attorney. I would highly recommend A People’s Choice for your legal documents as you will get outstanding service at an affordable price. “
Sharon B.
“We love A People’s Choice. It’s legally run and professional. Everyone has to have a recommendation and license. Highly recommended.”
Christy C.
“I was in need of some serious help and didn’t know what to do. I had contacted a lawyer and he wanted to charge me $1800.00. A People’s Choice got my paper work started and at a much lower cost. I am very grateful for the company’s services.
April R.
“A People’s Choice is awesome! They made the legal documentation process painless. I highly recommend A People’s Choice. The name says it all.”
Eric J.
“How much is peace of mind worth to you? This company of hardworking, caring individuals will help you get the job done in the quickest, most efficient way. Conveniently located. Check it out. Thank you!”
Diana K.
“This company is excellent! They helped me get through all of my paperwork, submitted it to the court, and now everything is complete. Everything was clear and almost too easy. I saved thousands of dollars!”
Seth M.
“Lightning fast response, I had my very simple document on the same day as my order for the very fair and reasonable price compared to my attorney who quoted me 3 weeks and $2500. I will definitely use these folks again and highly recommend them!”
L. Carnes
“The service provided by A People’s Choice was very professional and comprehensive. We have used A People’s Choice on a previous occasion and were completely satisfied. We would highly recommend A People’s Choice to anyone!”
R. Betancourt
“I recently required the help of A People’s Choice, Inc. and found them to be entirely professional. Everything was done in short order yet all was explained to my satisfaction. They were friendly and courteous. I am happy and impressed.”
C. Zyobel
“My wife and I needed to have some papers filed in court but found that traditional lawyers were quite expensive. They did a very professional job completing our paperwork and I might say, at a very reasonable price.”
D. Hileman
“Extremely satisfied with the performance of A People’s Choice. The communication was excellent and all was handled in a timely efficient manner.”
Pam T.
“A People’s Choice is a great option to get legal documents prepared inexpensively. They offer a very professional, low cost service for all sorts of legal paperwork. You won’t be disappointed and will save lots of money as compared to using an expensive attorney!”
Kathryn R.
“I am glad I chose A People’s Choice. They were very friendly and helped me with my documents in a very efficient way in very little time. Give them a try and you will be writing a positive review just as I did.”
D. Buelna
“I Recently used A PEOPLE’S CHOICE !!!! This service is absolutely AMAZING !!!! At first I was so confused , but after their process was explained to me , everything worked exactly the way they Said it would & they are there to help with the process. every step of the way , as promised. I would recommend this service 100% based on them being so efficient, professional, and always available to address any concerns that you may have . I appreciate the work that they did for me . THANKS !!!!“
R. Ivey
“This team is efficient, professional, ethical and easy to work with. Any of my questions were responded to immediately. They did everything they could to help me. I highly recommend their services.”
Leigh A.
“A People’s Choice is extremely customer orientated and friendly. Their service was fast and reliable. in the future, should I need their services again, I will not hesitate to call them. All e-mails were answered with either a phone call or e-mail sometimes even late at night”
Tar
“I can’t say enough about the level of service and professionalism I received working with A People’s Choice. Emails were always responded to quickly and thoughtfully. I ended up saving a lot of money by going with A People’s Choice over an attorney.”
M. Rice
“A People’s Choice – Saved me time, money & hardship. The people are professional and a pleasure to work with, I totally recommend them to everyone! I will used them for all my legal documents in the future. Thank you!”
C. Lazalde
“I highly recommend A People’s Choice. The customer service and professionalism are exceptional. This service is only a fraction of the cost, more responsive, and better suited to quickly completing complicated court forms. “
Linda F.
“Great service. Highly professional and efficient creating legal documents. I am completely satisfied and highly recommend them to others. People who are looking for professional legal services look no further, try A People’s Choice.”
Radtech N.
“Very professional, excellent follow up and easy to work with. I will recommend them often! The staff rocks!”
Gene A.
“Made the process so easy for me. Also VERY prompt replies through email. So glad I used their services.”
Kristina C.
“I had the opportunity to use A People’s Choice again, Wow doesn’t say enough for the way the staff was able to get me in and out and all my answers answered. Very Professional, Organized and Friendly. I highly recommend!”
Debbie E.
“I have worked with A People’s Choice since September 2013. They are very knowledgeable and experienced. Their work is done professionally and timely. They showed a real concern for my situation. I recommend you give them the opportunity.”
D. Echeverra
“A People’s Choice prepares legal documents so you can represent yourself and still look like you know what you’re doing. I utilized their services recently and found them to be professional as well as extremely helpful. I couldn’t be happier.”
Evan J.
“I was very happy with the service received. They were extremely responsive by phone and email and completed the document in less than 24 hours! All questions were answered promptly. I would highly recommend this service to anyone needing a legal document prepared!”
M.D.
“A People’s Choice is a business that delivers what they promise. I was treated like a VIP by their staff and Sandy was the best. As for their services, they promptly delivered all of the official documents and fillings on my behalf and their price is more than reasonable.
Juan B.

Get help with your Legal Documents!

START MY DOCUMENTS

…or continue reading the article below to learn more about title insurance problems with Transfer on Death Deeds.

A big part of estate planning revolves around trying to avoid probate. Why is this important? There are several reasons. First, the court requires the estate to pay the deceased person’s taxes and debts first. Of course, the person can do nothing to stop this from happening, because he or she is already dead. Only after that does the court follow the instructions in the will and distribute the person’s property to his or her heirs. Certain options can help you keep real estate properties out of probate. California’s transfer on death deed may enable homeowners to keep at least some of their assets safe from the sticky fingers of the law.

How do Transfer on Death Deeds Work?

A transfer on death (TOD) deed creates an automatic transfer of ownership upon your death. This can keep real property out of probate. The California Assembly Bill 139 of 2016 made TOD deeds legal.  The TOD deed is a legal document that states that, when you die, instead of your house being part of your estate (“estate” means the property that you leave to your heirs in your will), your house automatically becomes the property of the family member (the “beneficiary”) you specify in the TOD deed. Single or widowed individuals may seem ideal candidates for TOD deeds.

You must be thinking that this sounds like a cheap and easy estate planning tool. On the surface it may appear so, however, all is not as perfect as it would seem. There are many downsides to a Transfer on Death deeds; and, as mentioned above, people are discovering one of them is getting title insurance!

Title Insurance Problems With Transfer on Death Deed

When you inherit a real estate property in California, you also inherit its title insurance. This is true as long as you can prove you inherited it. You must provide documentation such as a will or TOD deed as proof. Failure to provide properly prepared and notarized documents may create a costly, time-consuming situation.

Unfortunately, a beneficiary who inherits real property by way of a transfer on death deed becomes personally liable for the decedent’s debts. Because of this, title companies are reluctant to issue a subsequent policy of title insurance for real property transferred through a Transfer on Death deed. This becomes problematic for a beneficiary who may want to sell the real property. This waiting window extends for three years. As a result, a beneficiary may not be able to sell real property inherited by way of a Transfer on Death Deed until this three year period ends.

If a person cannot get a title insurance policy, they will not want to purchase the property. Most title companies have shown an unwavering lack of willingness to issue title insurance during this three year period. As a result, the real property becomes unmarketable for the three years following the decedent’s death. Unfortunately, title insurance problems with transfer on death deeds is not going away.

A TOD deed can be an inexpensive alternative to a will, but it will only help your family member inherit your house easily if it is prepared correctly and the beneficiary has no intentions of selling the property. There are definitely better estate planning options. However, if you are certain of your intent to create a Transfer on Death Deed, a registered legal document assistant (LDA) can help you prepare your TOD deed or other estate planning documents for a lower price than you would have to pay for a lawyer. Contact A People’s Choice about estate planning document preparation services or call us at 800-747-2780.

Get help with your Legal documents today!

A People’s Choice can save you hundreds of dollars by preparing your legal documents instead of an expensive attorney!

GET STARTED!

Was this article helpful? We would love to know your thoughts! If you found this article helpful, please check the LIKE button below. Your feedback helps us plan topics for future articles.