Parent to Child Property Tax Transfer

California parent to child property tax transfer

Information on the California parent to child property tax transfer

Parent to Child Property Tax Transfer on California Real Estate

Did you know that in some situations California property owners can transfer a property tax base to another person?  It is possible, but there are some limitations. California Proposition 58 allows parents and children to pass property to one another and avoid property tax reassessment in some cases.

Why is a parent to child property tax transfer important for Californians?

Simply put, it allows you to keep your parents low Prop 13 tax base on an inherited home. This can make the cost of keeping the home more reasonable. Here is an example of how it works. Say a parent purchased a home in 1982 for $125,000.  The parent passes away in 2018 and the property is then worth $800,000. Because California Proposition 13 limits the amount that property taxes can increase to just 2% per year; the parents annual property tax payment may be only $2,000 per year when they pass. If that home were to have its property taxes reassessed, the taxes would jump to around $8,000 per year.

California Proposition 58 allows the child to avoid property tax reassessment on the home inherited from the parent. That means a savings of around $6,000 per year in property taxes for the person inheriting the home. This makes the home more affordable for the child and may allow them to keep the home as opposed to having to sell it. If you have specific question on if you may be eligible for a California Prop 58 exclusion from property tax reassessment, please call us at 877-464-1066.

Can a child inheriting a home avoid property tax reassessment if the home is held in a trust?

Yes, California Proposition 58 does allow a parent to transfer a property held in a trust to a child and avoid property reassessment. That being said, doing so can be complicated when multiple trust beneficiaries are involved. An equal distribution is required in most situations. If there are not sufficient funds in the trust to equalize the distribution, the trust will need to borrow the funds needed. In that situation, the County Assessors office will require that an equal distribution was made with funds provided by a third party loan to the trust in order to grant a Proposition 58 exclusion for reassessment.

Typically at the time of passing, a Family Trust, Living Trust or Revocable Trust becomes an Irrevocable Trust. When the trust becomes irrevocable the ability to make changes to the trust is restricted. The trustee or trust administrator may have few options when it comes to receiving a third party loan on a home held in the irrevocable trust. Most California lenders are not willing to lend on a home or provide a mortgage to an Irrevocable Trust. Even fewer have the experience and proper loan documents to provide a Proposition 58 compliant loan.

Proposition 58 compliant loans to trusts.

Commercial Loan Corporation is one of California’s leading providers of loans to Irrevocable trusts.  Unlike other lenders, this is what we specialize in. While the majority of lenders are unable to lend to an Irrevocable Trust, this is our focus. Every month with assist clients qualify for their California Proposition 58 exclusion from reassessment with our Prop 58 compliant loans to trusts.  If you, a client or a family member are interested in obtaining a mortgage to an irrevocable trust, please call us at 877-464-1066 and we would be happy to assist you.