Transfer Outside House to Trust or Simply Will It?

Say a person owns both a home and has a Trust, but the home is not included within that Trust. What is the best way to pass that home on to beneficiaries?

The answer depends on what the current owner cares to do with the property.

The house could be transferred to the Trust via a Quitclaim Deed. Then the Trust documents may provide that the ownership will pass to the beneficiaries upon death. (Note that the Trust could be changed at any time prior to the maker’s death, too).

Or, the homeowner could transfer the house to the beneficiaries prior to death via Quitclaim Deed. Doing so, however, ends the current ownership of the property, assigning it to new owners.

Other options like a separate Last Will and Testament just for the house are available as well. But setting up a proper structure could require some estate planning advice from a qualified individual.