Trust Loans and the Proposition 19 Exclussion from Property Tax Reassessment

Trust Loans and the Parent to Child Exclusion for Reassessment

Trust Loans and the Parent to Child Exclusion for Reassessment

When California Proposition 19 went into effect on April 1st, 2021, it replaced Proposition 58. California Proposition 58 previously controlled how a person inheriting a home from a parent could avoid property tax reassessment. Under the newly passed Proposition 19, a few of the rules for obtaining an exclusion from reassessment have changed.

Under Proposition 58, a child inheriting a home from a parent could apply for an exclusion from property tax reassessment with no value limitation, providing it was a primary residence. With Prop 58 you could also keep an investment property with a 1 million dollar exclusion per parent. Under Proposition 19, there is a limit of the current taxable value plus $1,000,000 on a primary home. Additionally, Proposition 19 eliminated the ability to avoid reassessment on an inherited home that will not be used as your primary residence.

There are additional requirements when it comes to receiving an exclusion from reassessment on an inherited home. One key point for the Assessor’s Office is to show that everyone receives their equal share according to what the trust states. If an equal distribution is required, a loan cannot be made to the trust by any of the beneficiaries who intend on keeping the real property. Doing so would be considered a sibling to sibling buyout resulting in a transfer between beneficiaries rather than a transfer from parent to child. For example, if the only asset in the trust was a home worth $900,000 and one of the three child beneficiaries wanted to keep that home, a loan would need to be made to the trust for $600,000. In this situation the two beneficiaries who did not want the home would each receive their $300,000 cash and the other child receives the home with $300,000 equity left in it after the trust loan was made.

When there are insufficient cash assets for an equal distribution to be made from an irrevocable trust, a person will often require the assistance of a trust and estate lender. As documented by the California Board of Equalization, the acquiring beneficiary may not utilize their own funds or make a personal guarantee on the loan. Doing so would create a sibling to sibling buyout, disqualifying them for the full parent to child transfer exclusion. The loan will need to be made directly to the trust, without first removing the property from the trust or requiring a personal guarantee from the acquiring beneficiary. A qualified trust and estate lender will make a loan directly to the trust, providing enough cash for the equalized distribution to be made. The trust lender often works directly with an attorney or property tax consultant. A trust loan is typically a short term loan with no pre-payment penalty. Once the property has been transferred from the trust to beneficiary, the loan can be paid off or refinanced into a conventional mortgage.

Additional information on this is available on the California Board of Equalization website located here.

If you, a family member or client is in need of a loan to a trust or irrevocable trust, you may contact us at (877) 464-1066. One of our Trust Loan Account Managers can answer any questions you may have on the trust loan process and put you in contact with a Qualified Trust & Estate Attorney or California Property Tax Consultant in your area if you are in need of assistance. We will also provide you with a no cost trust loan benefit analysis that will estimate how much you can expect to save by using a trust loan to avoid property tax reassessment on an inherited home.

California Residential Property Tax Consultant

At Commercial Loan Corporation we specialize in assisting clients with the financing they need to keep a parents low property tax rate on an inherited property. Transferring a Parents of Grandparents property tax rate can be a extremely beneficial; in fact, on average we save our clients over $6,000 per year in property taxes. Taking advantage of the California Proposition 58 property tax benefits can be very complicated and we always advice that you use the services of a qualified Attorney or Resident Property Tax Specialist. With so much potential property tax savings on the line, you want to make sure that all of the rules are followed and that all of the documents are processed correctly. Failing to do so may disqualify you from an Exclusion From Property Tax Reassessment.

A residential property tax specialist and specializes in helping clients preserve a parents low Proposition 13 protected property tax rate when a home is transferred or inherited. Often times he works with clients where the inherited real estate is contained in a trust or is part of an estate. It can be a very complex matter. If the property is not transferred appropriately or the financing is not done in accordance with California law, you may become ineligible to retain a parents property tax base rate and the home may be reassessed at current market value.

California Property Tax Consultants work with the clients of attorneys, CPAs, financial planners, and real estate professionals to minimize real property tax assessments before or after transactions involving the transfer or purchase of real estate. One of the reasons why Property Tax Consultants are so valuable when it comes to keeping a parents low property tax rate is that he formerly worked for the Orange County Tax Assessor’s Office for almost 25 years. So he has the first hand experience to make sure you obtain the tax savings that you deserve. Prior to becoming a California Residential Property Tax Consultant, Michael worked as a Legal Analyst at the County Tax Assessors Office. During that time, Property Tax Consultants have observed many real estate transactions that had undesired results due to property owners either never consulting with counsel, or advisers were not familiar with property tax law and its consequences. A Property Tax Consultant in order to help advisers and their clients avoid those unintended results, and plan and structure their real property transactions to achieve their goals.

 If you are in need of Trust or Estate financing or are interested in preserving a parents low property taxes on an inherited home, please call us at 877-464-1066 so that we may assist you. We can help you put together a plan of action and review your potential property tax savings with you.