Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Maryland

Real Estate Ownership

My daughter and her boyfriend are living together in a place he owns. She is helping to pay the remodeling and mortgage payments. They are refinancing and wanted to put her name on it too, but their state/city has huge taxes on doing that, it would cost them $4000 in extra taxes and fees. We told her that if her name wasn't on the title she shouldn't have her name on the mortgage either. We are worried she would not be protected in case they broke up or he died. Is there any other legal way to protect her and her investment? One idea we had is that she could be the beneficiary of his life insurance policy.


Asked on 1/16/09, 4:13 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Robert Sher Wagshal and Sher

Re: Real Estate Ownership

Your daughter and her boyfriend can probably qualify as domestic partners under MD law, which enables them to add her name to the deed to the property without incurring the taxes you are concerned about. As you suspected, she would be ill advised to incur any indebtedness on this property without having her name on the deed. She can contact me for more details on how to go about this and for assistance in drafting the necessary documents.

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Answered on 1/19/09, 10:44 am


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