In short

When an Arizona home is not held in a trust and has no beneficiary deed recorded on it, a probate court has to decide who it goes to, and the family often cannot sell or even clear out the house until that is done, which can take most of a year. A recorded beneficiary deed under A.R.S. 33-405 passes the home to the named beneficiary at death without a court proceeding; the owner keeps full control and can revoke it while alive.

Key points

No trust and no beneficiary deed means the home goes through probate before anyone can sell it.
An Arizona beneficiary deed must be recorded with the county recorder before death to work.
The owner keeps ownership and can change or revoke the deed at any time while living.
A funded living trust reaches the same result and also covers incapacity and other assets.

Full written answer: How an Arizona beneficiary deed works

Description

A recorded beneficiary deed can pass an Arizona home straight to your kids the day you pass, with no probate and no court delay. Most families never know it exists until they are already stuck. If your parents own their home, ask them about it this week. #estateplanning #arizona #probate #beneficiarydeed #agingparents #inheritance #familylegacy #azrealestate #trustandwill #peaceofmind