Should my name be on the deed to our house?
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Should my name be on the deed to our house?
We dated for 27 years, then got married 2 years ago. My husband bought our property after we started dating and we built our house almost 20 years ago. My name is listed first on the mortgage loan we have through the bank I don’t recall if they call it a
Asked on October 19, 2017 under Real Estate Law, Pennsylvania
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
It would be a good idea to have your name on the deed:
1) First, if you and your husband own the home as "joint tenants with right of survivorship" (sometimes abbreviated "JTROS"), then if he dies before you, the home becomes yours instantly and automatically and does not need to go through probate.
2) If you are not on the deed as above and your husband passes away, unless he had a valid will leaving the house to you, his children will inherit a half interest in it--and could use that to force a sale, in which case, while you'd get half the proceeds, you'd also have to leave the home, which you might not want or be prepared to do.
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