Transfer On Death Deed

Transfer on Death Deed Lawyers in Anoka

Avoiding probate can save time, money, and aggravation for your heirs. There are several ways to avoid probate. If you have real estate and want to transfer it to a beneficiary without going through the probate process, the best way may be with a transfer on death deed.

What a Transfer on Death Deed Does

Essentially, a transfer on death deed (TODD) is a beneficiary designation for real estate. It conveys real estate to one or more “grantee beneficiaries.” It is like a payable on death designation on a bank account. The beneficiary only takes ownership upon the death of the owner.

The grantee beneficiary is the person to whom the property is being conveyed. It can be people or an entity, like a revocable living trust or business. A TODD is specific to the piece of real estate that is described in the deed. This means that a TODD is needed for each piece of real estate you own.

This also means that if you record a TODD for real estate that you own now, and you buy additional real estate in the future, you need to record new TODDs for the additional real estate.

Risks & Problems with Using a TODD

There are some potential risks of using transfer on death deeds. As with any type of deed, it is extremely important that you have an accurate and complete legal description for the property. Without it, the deed may not be effective.

Additional risks come from transferring real estate to more than one grantee beneficiary.

These risks include:

  • Failing to understand the various types of joint ownership (joint tenants with rights of survivorship and tenants in common)
  • Not accounting for marital/spousal interests
  • The potential for the grantee beneficiaries to disagree

A couple of problems with using TODDs arise if you want to leave property to someone under 18 years of age. Also, you would not want to use a TODD to give property to an adult receiving government benefits for a disability or low income. Not handling the estate properly could result in a loss of benefits. The best way to learn if a transfer on death deed is the right approach for your circumstances is to meet with the attorneys of Boyd Hoffer Bolt Law Firm. At our firm, you’ll encounter the high level of compassion and professionalism we bring when assisting all our clients and their family members with estate planning issues.

Contact us online or call (763) 292-2102 today.

Hear From Our Clients

    “From the start of working with Bolt Law Firm, I could tell this firm was the right fit: professional, knowledgeable, and supportive.”

    “Initially, we worked with Steve Helseth on our estate plan, and because we had such a great experience working with him, we have utilized Bolt Law Firm for additional legal services.”

    “Our experience working with Steve and his firm, was simply, reassuring. When dealing with decisions as important and mortal as Will and Estate planning – you want to build a level of trust and understanding with the people who are crafting your perso”

    “We were very pleased with our end result and with the personal relationship, we were able to build with Steve. We highly recommend Bolt, Bolt Law Firm for estate planning.”

    “Steve Helseth and team were great to work with! They recommended options for my consideration, answered all my questions, were very knowledgeable, and kept this on schedule. I would highly recommend them for services.”

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