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5 Ways to Leave Your Home to Your Children


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Many parents want to know the best way to leave a home to their children. Before you make a plan, you should first be sure that your children actually want the property. We have seen too many parents take on unnecessary financial hardship in order to keep a home as an inheritance their children do not truly want.


That said, here are some of the most common ways to leave your home to your kids:


1. Will.


You can leave real estate to anyone in your will. Once the will has been probated, your children will receive title to the property.


2. Trust.


Using a trust is a convenient way to transfer property without having to go through probate. Title is transferred automatically upon a triggering event -- in this case, the death of the original property owner.


3. Joint tenancy with right of survivorship.


This method allows you to add your children to the property title while you are still alive. When you pass, the children become owners of the property as surviving joint owners. Note that this could have negative tax consequences.


4. Transfer on death deed.


This allows you to name a beneficiary for your property without giving a present interest in it to the beneficiary. Upon your passing, the beneficiary takes title.


5. Life estate.


You can transfer title to the property while you are still living, and retain the right to live there during your lifetime. After your death, the beneficiary owns the entire interest in the property.


There are pros and cons to each of these options. The Law Office of Keoni Souza can help you decide on the best option for you and your family.


This article is a service of the Law Office of Keoni Souza, LLC, an estate planning law firm in Honolulu, Hawaii. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That's why we offer a Family Wealth Planning Session, ™ during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before, and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by contacting our office today to schedule a Family Wealth Planning Session and mention this article to find out how to get this $750 session at no charge.


DISCLAIMER: All information available at this website are for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. You should contact an attorney directly regarding your specific situation. Use of and access to this website or any of the email links contained within the site do not create an attorney-client relationship between the Law Office of Keoni Souza, LLC and any users or any other party.

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