Joint Tenancy and Estate Planning

Authors

Charles B. Stacey

Abstract

In many states both lawyers and laymen advise taking of title to property in joint tenancy without sufficient knowledge of the legal incidents of this ancient common law estate. Due to the increasing use of this form of ownership, lawyers must learn both the advantages and disadvantages of joint tenancies. Since joint tenancy involves the element of "survivorship," the taking of title to property in this form is usually a conscious act of estate planning. To the knowledgeable estate planner, however, joint tenancies are more often bothersome than useful. The planner is often faced with the problem of eliminating or otherwise allowing for "survivorship" property. There are few cases which justify the use of joint tenancy as a positive device of estate planning.

First Page

44

Recommended Citation

Charles B. Stacey, Joint Tenancy and Estate Planning, 37 Wash. L. Rev. 44 (1962).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/wlr/vol37/iss1/4