Why Are More California Beneficiaries Getting Trust Loans Now, in 2021

Written by Geoffrey Sadwith Posted On Sunday, 03 October 2021 00:00

Beneficiaries who are seeking a mid to high six-figure or low seven-figure loan to an irrevocable trust, these days, are looking to accomplish an important outcome that is generally not possible with other types of financing, such as inheritance advance assignments, credit union financing or personal bank loans – as reviewed below...

As a Beneficiary With an Urgent Need for Trust Loan Funds Right Now, What Type of Trust Lender Do You Want to Work With?

As we enter the Fall of 2021, an increased number of beneficiaries in California are getting trust loans to buyout sibling property shares while keeping their inherited home at a low Proposition 13 tax base – typically enlisting the help of a California trust lender that is 100% self-funded.  Beneficiaries generally want a self-funded lender as they deliver funding at a faster rate than institutional lenders, such as five to seven days, versus three to four weeks. They also offer terms that are more flexible than an institutional lender such as Bank of America or Wells Fargo. Their compliance requirements for both commercial and residential property owners are also less restrictive than traditional lenders.

Self-funded trust lenders seldom charge up-front fees, they do not require borrowers to pay advance interest on their trust loan; and there is never a “due-on-sale” clause that requires the mortgage to be repaid in full when the property is sold. Lastly, beneficiaries like the fact that this type of firm does not impose an “alienation clause”… in the event of a property transfer, insisting that the borrower has to pay back the mortgage in full before the borrower can transfer the property to another person. Estate and trust attorneys, or property tax consultants will always advise beneficiary clients to avoid these types of restrictive and costly requirements.

Buying Out Property Shares Inherited By Co-Beneficiaries

Generally this option revolves around a common family or sibling conflict that typically has beneficiaries insisting on selling their inherited property shares, while other beneficiaries are looking to keep the family homes, and are enlisting the help of a trust lender to buyout siblings who are determined to sell.

This method of funding provides the beneficiaries looking to sell with a good deal more money than a realtor will get them, with more cash from a trust loan and trust lender than an outside buyer would come up with... Avoiding an expensive, standard 6% realtor commission, avoiding closing costs, legal costs, and processing fees.

This type of family conflict is stressful, however the trust loan process provides a win-win solution for all concerned – keeping property at a low base rate for those who are retaining their parent's home, and putting a lot more cash in the pocket, as far as beneficiaries who are intent on selling their inherited property shares are concerned.  The trust lender funds the trust and provides “equalized distribution” so every sibling who is selling their shares receives an equal amount.

Avoiding Property Tax Reassessment

Beneficiaries looking to keep their inherited family home, while buying out siblings that are looking to sell off their inherited property shares with personal funds, will discover quickly enough that this is not a viable option. Siblings who wish to keep their family home must avoid triggering reassessment, hence using a loan to an irrevocable trust is the most beneficial option, keeping property at a low base rate, or walking off with a lot more cash from selling inherited property shares. Depending which side of the fence you're on.

As a CA homeowner – how do you ensure, as with a parent-child transfer, that you’re not paying more property tax than you should?  New homeowners must take the right steps in the beginning to keep the low property tax base their parents had, avoiding property tax reassessment at high current rates.  Without trust loan funding, the transaction would be viewed as a “sibling-to-sibling transfer” and thus would not avoid property reassessment. 

A beneficiary keeping the inherited home winds up saving on average $6,200 in yearly property taxes.  Borrowing against an irrevocable trust ensures that the process moves directly through the estate and locks in a low property tax rate. Closely related property tax benefits – that beneficiaries and new homeowners need  to get extremely familiar with – stem from Proposition 13 as well as Proposition 58;  and have morphed rapidly into Proposition 19...  

This all begins with basic property tax transfer... meaning the ability to keep parents property taxes, keeping property at a low base rate through the parent-child transfer and parent-to-child exclusion.  Beneficiaries, and believe it or not their estate attorney, absolutely have to know all about their right to transfer parents property taxes when inheriting parents property and inheriting property taxes from Mom or Dad...

Paying Trust Expenses

For beneficiaries, when a trustee passes away, there is often not enough cash or “liquidity” in an estate or in a trust to pay debts an initial trustee owed, such as attorney fees, medical bills, mortgage and personal loan debt, and other financial obligations. A trust loan can help resolve these debts.

Renting or Selling Inherited Property

If heirs or beneficiaries decide they’d like to rent out an inherited property, there are often maintenance costs and repairs to be considered. Especially when dealing with an inherited homes, age is an issue… hence there are often roof issues, boiler problems, pipes to be replaces, and so on. Before one is able to put an older home on the market to rent or to sell.

Irrevocable trust loans and Proposition 19 property tax exclusion, working in conjunction with each other,  insures that beneficiaries and new homeowners can get these fairly complicated tasks  accomplished in a relatively easy, stress-free and inexpensive manner.


PropertyTaxNews.org is a blog written by communications specialist Geoffrey Sadwith, sponsored by Commercial Loan Corp – devoted to promoting California property tax relief; and maintaining a low property tax base for inherited homes. 

To learn more about your options when inheriting a home from parents – transferring their low property tax base to your new residence – contact Commercial Loan Corp at (877) 756-4454 to speak with a Trust Fund Loan consultant or Property Tax Savings specialist.  Chances are the end result will be a much lower property tax bill.

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