Is It Better to Use Joint Ownership or a Trust to Pass Down a Home?

When leaving a home to your children, you can avoid probate by using either joint ownership or a revocable trust. But the two are not equivalent.

Adding a child as a joint tenant exposes the home to that child's creditors, divorce, and lawsuits — and can trigger gift tax reporting. A properly funded revocable trust avoids probate without those risks, and lets you keep full control during your lifetime.

Have a question about how this applies to your family in Maryland? Schedule an introductory call with Johnson Law — flat fees, no pressure, straight answers.