On the Transfer On Death Deed, can the deed name more than one person as a transferee?
R.M., Belen I have discussed Transfer on Death Deeds (TODDs) in previous columns as a way to avoid probating a house. You sign a TODD, designating beneficiaries, and record the deed during your lifetime in the county clerk’s office in the county where the house is located. Upon your death, the house passes automatically to the named beneficiaries without a court probate proceeding. You can name more than one person as a transferee. County offices are prohibited from giving legal advice, so they should not help anyone prepare a TODD. A copy of the TODD form appears in New Mexico Statutes Annotated, Section 45-6-401, and a deed form may be available at various office supply stores around the state. However, I strongly recommend that people hire a competent attorney to prepare a TODD. The cost is around $100, and given that your house is worth far more, it seems like a good investment. If you send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Senior Citizens Law Office, 4317 Lead Ave. SE, Alb
