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Texas Transfer Toolkit | Transfer on Death Deed
• The transfer on death deed beneficiary must survive you by at least 120 hours. If not, the property is treated as if the
transfer on death deed did not exist.
• A transfer on death deed cannot be created by a person acting under a property owner’s power of attorney, however, that
person can cancel the transfer on death deed.
Required
• Must Sign in Front of a Notary: Do not sign or date the transfer on death deed until you are standing in front of a notary
public.
• Must Record Transfer on Death Deed Before Your Death: You must record (file) this deed before your death with the
county clerk where the property is located or it will not be effective.
1. Property Owner (Transferor) Making this Deed: Enter your first, middle (if any), and last name, along with your mailing
address. Write your name exactly as it appears on the deed you received when you became an owner of the property. If you
now go by a different name, write your name as listed on the deed, followed by AKA (also known as) and your current name.
If more than one person owns the property, each person must do this.
2. Legal Description of the Property: Enter the legal description of the property, which is different from the mailing or physical
address of the property. This information is on the deed you received when you became an owner of the property and is also
available at the county clerk’s office in the county where the property is located. Do NOT use the legal description listed on
your property tax bill because it is usually incomplete. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THIS INFORMATION IS CORRECT.
If you are not absolutely sure, talk to a lawyer.
3. Address of the Property: Enter the physical address of the property.
4. Primary and Alternate Beneficiaries: You must check the box for A, B, or C. Check ONLY ONE box and fill in the blanks in
that section.
• Fill out Selection A if you are married and you and your spouse own the property together.
• Fill out Selection B if you are married and you own all or part of the property by yourself (your spouse doesn’t own any
part of it) AND you want your spouse to get your share of the property.
• Fill out Selection C if either you are not married OR if you are married and do not want your share of the property to go
to your spouse.
Each selection (A, B, or C) has three parts:
1. Primary Beneficiary: A “beneficiary” is the person who will own the property when you die. The primary beneficiary
is the first person you want to own the property. You can, but are not required to, name more than one person as
primary beneficiary.
2. Alternate Beneficiary or Beneficiaries: The alternate beneficiary or beneficiaries are the people you want to own the
property if the primary beneficiary or beneficiaries die before you do.
3. Transfer on Death: This section tells how you want your property to pass if all your beneficiaries die before you.
ɐ For Selection A and B:
• Initial option (a) if you want the alternate beneficiary or beneficiaries’ living children, grandchildren, or
great-grandchildren to get your share of the property if that beneficiary dies before you do.
• Initial option (b) if you DO NOT want the alternate beneficiary or beneficiaries’ children, grandchildren, or
great-grandchildren to get your share of the property if that beneficiary dies before you do.
ɐ For Selection C, section:
A. If at Least One Primary Beneficiary Survives Me: If you name more than one primary beneficiary, this
section tells what you want to do with your share of the property if one or more primary beneficiaries die
before you, but one or more are still living.