Transferring property

After the last mortgage payment is made, home owners have some work to do to sort out their deeds, as reported on this page last week. But married people should also find out if their property is in one or both of their names, Family Money reader and solicitor, Mr John G. Griffin, has pointed out.

Typically, mortgages taken out 20 or more years ago were in the husband's name. When the mortgage is paid off, a couple should seriously consider transferring the property into joint names.

Mr Griffin explains that this will mean that in the event of the death of either party, the property will automatically transfer into the other person's name without having to go through the time and costs involved in exacting probate.

The simple way to know if the property is in the husband's name is to check the name on the mortgage statement. If it is only the husband's name, then it's likely the property is in his sole name.