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What happens to your property when your spouse dies?

Author

Sophia Koch

Updated on February 19, 2026

Couples commonly own property jointly with the right of survivorship. This is most common for the marital home. For such property, when one spouse dies, the property automatically transfers to the surviving spouse. This transfer takes place outside the probate process. It is also unnecessary to issue a new deed.

What to do if your husband dies and Your Name is not on the House?

If your husband died and your name is not on your house’s title you should be able to retain ownership of the house as a surviving widow. If your deceased husband left the house to you in a will the transfer of ownership is a simple process.

What happens if your spouse buys a house in Your Name?

The lender requires that both owners’ names go on the title when they used both of their financial qualifications to acquire the loan. If your spouse purchased a home with a loan in her name only, the home is considered community property unless you relinquish your rights to the property.

How to get property in your name after your parent has died?

In most cases, the estate will have to go through the probate process before you can officially get the property in your own name. Check the Will . Whether or not you’d get property in your name upon the death of a parent depends on the will. If you were left the property, or if you co-owned the property with the deceased.

What happens when I put my spouse on the deed to my house?

When you put your spouse on the Deed to a property that you owned individually prior to marriage, you are creating what’s called a tenancy by the entireties. This is basically a special form of ownership available only to spouses and it affords special protection from creditors of only one spouse.

What happens to your property when you get married?

In community property states, spouses usually own an equal interest in all property acquired during the marriage without regard to whose name the property is titled in. Also, the spouses own an equal interest in the income owned by either spouse during the marriage and an equal interest in debts incurred during the marriage.

What to do if your husband dies and Your Name is not on the title?

If a husband dies and his surviving spouse’s name is not on the title, the spouse may still retain ownership if the husband conferred title to the spouse in his will. If there is no will, or if a will left the home to someone else, the surviving spouse can petition probate court for ownership.

Can a spouse receive part of an intestate estate?

(However, the appreciated value of all such property during the time of marriage will generally be included as community or marital property and subject to division.) With that said, it is still possible for your child’s spouse to receive a portion of your intestate estate under certain, specific circumstances.

Can a spouse own half of a property?

In common law property states, a spouse is not entitled to one-half of all community property, as is the case in a community property state. In general, the title of the property determines ownership of the property.

Can a widow have an interest in a deceased spouse’s estate?

Many states make special exceptions for the marital homestead. Depending on the state, a widow may receive a life estate or other interest in the marital homestead. This often does not require going through the probate process. Widows have rights over their deceased spouse’s estate.

These rules give married spouses and children the right to inherit property when there is no valid will. In both situations, you must usually take legal steps within 6 months of your spouse’s death if you want to claim the equalization payment.

What happens if my husband left the house to someone else?

If your deceased husband left the house to you in a will the transfer of ownership is a simple process. If your husband did not prepare a will or left the house to someone else, you can make an ownership claim against the house through the probate process.

What happens to step up basis after death of husband?

If wife was owner of part of the property as anything other than community property, then only the portion that husband owned would get the stepped up basis. If wife owned the entire property at the time of husband’s death then none of the property would get the stepped up basis, and there would be the gain you state.

What was the original value of my house when my husband died?

Your half of the house is still at its original tax basis of $150,000 (half of the original $300,000 purchase price), but your husband’s half of the house stepped up to $275,000 when he died (half of the house’s value on the day he died of $550,000). Add $150,000 to $275,000, and you get $425,000 as the tax basis of your home.

How does the interest of the deceased spouse pass?

The interest of the deceased spouse does not pass through probate and, accordingly, cannot pass under the deceased spouse’s will or the laws of intestacy. The second is a Tenancy in Common. This is the default form of concurrently-owned property.

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When does the property go to the wife?

If the joint ownership is – Tenancy by entirety or joint tenancy with survivorship -then after the death of the husband the property goes to the wife.