 TITLE: How to Change the Title of Your Home CONTENT: When Would You Need to Change Title on Your Home's Deed?\n--------------------------------------------------------\nThere are a few situations when you need to change the home's title:\n*   **You get married.** If you get married and change your name, it's smart to also change the title on your home. If you want to add your new spouse to your property deed, you can usually do this through a quitclaim deed. Depending on where you live, you may be able to create a new deed yourself, but in some locations you may need to get it notarized, file it with your county clerk, and\/or utilize an attorney.\n*   **You get divorced.** Even if you don't plan to sell your home after divorce, there may be a name change, or one partner may want to be removed from the home's title. Depending on where you live, you may be able to handle this through a quitclaim. If you have a joint mortgage, you may be able to go through this process with your lender. In either case, it's best to consult a lawyer if possible.\n*   **Your spouse dies.** When your spouse dies, you may become responsible for some of their debt, but a home title may require no action. If you owned your home as joint tenants with a right of survivorship, you won't need to update the title or deed: It automatically transfers to the surviving spouse. If you decide to sell the home, however, you may need to provide the death certificate since your spouse's name will be on the deed. Another thing you don't need to worry about during this difficult time is updating your loved one's credit report.\n*   **You inherit a home.** If you inherit a home after a loved one dies, you'll need to update the title. If the homeowner had a transfer-on-death beneficiary deed, their beneficiaries can likely take ownership of the property without going through probate. END