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[PA] What ownership type should co-owners choose on a deed for survivorship rights?

Jessica B
Jessica B

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If you want full survivorship rights, "Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship" does not directly govern real property, but Pennsylvania recognizes joint tenancy with right of survivorship for real estate deeds where the deed language expressly creates it; This means that if one of you passes away, the other automatically inherits the deceased's share of the property. (20 PA Cons Stat § 8503)

"Tenants in Common" does not provide survivorship rights, as each party can leave their share to someone else in their will.

Since your spouse is the only one currently listed as the owner, then they are the only one who needs to sign the deed.

Does this help clarify things for you? Let me know if you have more questions about this!

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Pennsylvania Quit Claim Deed

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There is no field on the quit claim form to specify percentage ownership.

Lexi

Lexi, Chatbot

I understand how frustrating it can be when forms don't meet your needs. Have you already filled out the quit claim form, or are you in the process of completing it?

I filled it out.

Lexi

Lexi, Chatbot

Are you looking to specify ownership percentages for multiple parties involved in the property transfer?

Yes.

Jessica B

Jessica B

Hi there! I'm Jessica B, and I'm here to help you with your real estate question. I understand you're dealing with a situation where there is no field on the quit claim form to specify percentage ownership. Are you looking to specify ownership percentages for multiple parties involved in the property transfer?

Yes. Our current deed has only my wife on it. We're trying to add my name to the deed as 50% owner.

Jessica B

Jessica B

Got it! To add your name to the deed as a 50% owner, you'll need to make some adjustments to the quit claim deed.

First, you'll want to ensure that the deed clearly states both your wife's name and your name as the Grantees. You do not have to specifically state 50% for each since you are a married couple. By listing both of your names as Co-Grantees, it automatically grants you each 50%.

What state is the property located? This will dictate whether you need to add survivorship language.

I read the descriptions of the types of ownership (tenants in common, joint tenants, etc.) but I'm still not sure which type to choose. We do want full survivorship rights in the event of one of our deaths, but the other parts...

I assume the question of how many spouses will sign the deed is 2, in our case. I ticked the option for a signature filed for spouse.

Pennsylvania.

Jessica B

Jessica B

If you want full survivorship rights, "Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship" does not directly govern real property, but Pennsylvania recognizes joint tenancy with right of survivorship for real estate deeds where the deed language expressly creates it; This means that if one of you passes away, the other automatically inherits the deceased's share of the property. (20 PA Cons Stat § 8503)

"Tenants in Common" does not provide survivorship rights, as each party can leave their share to someone else in their will.

Since your spouse is the only one currently listed as the owner, then they are the only one who needs to sign the deed.

Does this help clarify things for you? Let me know if you have more questions about this!

Do both spouses need to reside in the property if the ownership type is joint tenants?

Jessica B

Jessica B

No, both spouses do not need to reside in the property for it to be held as joint tenants with right of survivorship. The key aspect of joint tenancy is the ownership structure and the rights it provides, not the residency of the owners.

If you have any more questions or need further clarification, feel free to ask!

Once we locate the original deed, I assume we will find the parcel ID number as well as the description of the property. Can I simply edit this form and copy that information into the fields and be finished?

Jessica B

Jessica B

Yes, once you locate the original deed, you should be able to find the parcel ID number and the legal description of the property. You can copy that information into the appropriate fields on the new quit claim deed form.

Make sure all the details match exactly to avoid any issues. If everything is filled out correctly, you should be good to go!

If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out. I'm here to help!

Do we both need to be present when getting the quit claim form notarized? And once we have the quit claim notarized, are there any other documents that need to be submitted to the county recorder's office?

Jessica B

Jessica B

Yes, both you and your spouse should be present when getting the quit claim deed notarized, as the notary will need to verify the identities of both parties and witness the signing. After the quit claim deed is notarized, you will need to submit it to the county recorder's office where the property is located. This is to officially record the change in ownership.

It's a good idea to check with the local county recorder's office to see if there are any additional forms or fees required for recording the deed. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!

Do both of us need to present the quit claim deed together in person to the recorder's office? I see that for my county there is a $38 fee. I assume that means the document can't simply be mailed in?

Jessica B

Jessica B

In most cases, you don't both need to be present to submit the quit claim deed to the recorder's office. Typically, one person can handle the submission. However, it's always a good idea to check with the county recorder's office to confirm their specific requirements.

Regarding mailing, many counties do allow you to mail in the deed along with the required fee. Again, it's best to verify this with the local office to ensure you follow their preferred process.

I spoke with the recorder's office to clear up the submission and fee question. Our quit claim deed is now complete, but the recorder's office said that we also need to submit a Rev 183 form for PA (Realty Transfer Tax Statement of Value). I downloaded the 1 page form, but we are having trouble figuring out what the correct information is for various fields. Are you familiar with that form?

Do we need a separate lawyer to help us fill out this Rev 138 form correctly??

Jessica B

Jessica B

The REV-183 form, or Realty Transfer Tax Statement of Value, is used in Pennsylvania to declare the value of the property being transferred and determine any applicable transfer taxes. While I can provide some general guidance, it's important to ensure accuracy, as this form is crucial for tax purposes. Here are a few tips:

  1. Parties Involved: Make sure to fill in the names and addresses of both the grantor (your wife) and the grantee (you).
  2. Property Information: Include the parcel ID and legal description, which you can find on your original deed.
  3. Consideration: This is the value of the property being transferred. If it's a gift or no money is exchanged, you might need to indicate that.

If you're unsure about any specific fields or want to ensure everything is filled out correctly, consulting with a real estate attorney or a professional familiar with Pennsylvania real estate transactions might be a good idea. They can provide personalized advice and ensure all legal requirements are met.

If you have more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!

Understood. We really appreciate your help! There is no way we can fill out this document ourselves. We don't know the answers to the fields in the Valuation Data or Exemption Data sections, or where to find them.

For "Parties Involved" ("Transfer data" on the form), should we include both our names as Grantees since the quit claim deed has us both as Grantees?

For "Property Information," it asks for the "tax parcel number." Is that the same as the parcel ID on the deed?

Jessica B

Jessica B

For the "Parties Involved" section, yes, you should include both your names as Grantees since the quit claim deed lists both of you.

Regarding the "Property Information," the "tax parcel number" is typically the same as the parcel ID on the deed. However, it's always a good idea to double-check with your county's property records or the original deed to ensure accuracy.

If you have more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask!

Do you know where I can begin looking for the required information under "Valuation Data" or "Exemption Data"?

Where we are supposed to tick which Exemption Claimed there are many choices. The one that looks closest to being correct is "Corrective or confirmatory deed. (Attach complete copy of the deed to be corrected or confirmed)." Does that seem correct? The only other choice that it could be is "Other," where we need to describe "a detailed explanation of exemption claimed."

Jessica B

Jessica B

No, this is not a corrective deed. On the required Pennsylvania Statement of Value (REV-183) form, you should indicate that the transfer is between spouses.

So I would choose "Other" and describe it thus: "The transfer is between spouses"?

Jessica B

Jessica B

For the exemption, you would typically choose "Other" and describe it as "The transfer is between spouses."

What should I enter for these three fields: "Amount of Exemption Claimed," "Percentage of Grantor's Interest in Real Estate," and "Percentage of Grantor's Interest Conveyed"?

Jessica B

Jessica B

Your wife must answer those questions, since it is up to her as to what she wants to put.

Since the recorder did say that we are tax exempt, should we just put 100% exempt? And since we will be 50/50 owners on the new deed, should it be 100% for the "Percentage of Grantor's Interest in Real Estate" and 50% for "Percentage of Grantor's Interest Conveyed"? Does all of that make sense?

Jessica B

Jessica B

Yes, that makes sense based on the information you've provided. Since the transfer is between spouses and you've been told it's tax exempt, you can indicate 100% for the "Amount of Exemption Claimed." For the "Percentage of Grantor's Interest in Real Estate," you would put 100% since your wife currently owns the entire property. For the "Percentage of Grantor's Interest Conveyed," you would put 50% since she is transferring half of her interest to you.

If you have any more questions or need further clarification, feel free to ask!

I see now that "Amount of Exemption Claimed" requires a dollar amount, not a percentage. In our case, what would that answer be?

Jessica B

Jessica B

For the "Amount of Exemption Claimed," you would typically enter the fair market value of the property being transferred, as this is the amount that is exempt from transfer tax due to the spousal transfer. However, for precise guidance, especially regarding legal documents, consulting with a real estate attorney or a professional familiar with Pennsylvania real estate transactions would be beneficial. They can provide personalized advice and ensure all legal requirements are met.

Understood about seeking help with the fair market value.

The only section left is the "Valuation Data" section, where it asks for information we do not have: "Actual Cash Consideration" + "Other Consideration" = "Total Consideration," "County Assessed Value" x "Common Level Ratio Factor" = "Computed Value." This is very confusing to us, and we have no idea what to enter into those fields.

Jessica B

Jessica B

For the "Valuation Data" section:

  • Actual Cash Consideration: This is the amount of money exchanged for the property. If no money is exchanged, you might enter "0."
  • Other Consideration: This includes any non-cash value exchanged. If there is none, you might enter "0."
  • Total Consideration: This is the sum of the Actual Cash Consideration and Other Consideration.
  • County Assessed Value: You can find this on your property tax statement or by contacting your local assessor's office.
  • Common Level Ratio Factor: This is a multiplier used to equalize property values across the county. You can usually find this on the county's website or by contacting the recorder's office.

I was able to copy everything in our chat to a Word document for review later. You have been extremely helpful. Thank you very much!

Jessica B

Jessica B

You're very welcome! I'm glad I could help. If you have any further questions or need clarification on this issue, please don't hesitate to ask. Have a great day!

Jessica B

Jessica B

32,109 satisfied customers

Jessica B
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