• Home
  • |
  • Blog
  • |
  • Asset Protection for Landlords
 

October 30, 2019

Asset Protection for Landlords

Get That Property Out of Your Name!

By William Bronchick, Real Estate Coach

Asset protection for landlords in real estate investing starts with anonymity. There are over 80 million lawsuits filed every year in the United States. Landlords and real estate investors are especially susceptible to liability. Are you a target? Are your assets easy to locate? Is your real estate titled in your name?

In real estate investing, you wouldn’t walk around with a financial statement taped to your forehead, would you? So why would you have your most valuable assets exposed to public scrutiny? Anyone can go down to the county courthouse or recorder’s office and look up the owner of any property. Real estate records are now computerized, so all of your real estate holdings can be located at the touch of a button!

Any mortgages on your property will be recorded as well. Most recorded mortgages will state the amount of the original principal balance and the date the mortgage payments began. All one has to do is figure out the balance of your mortgage and subtract that amount from the market value of your house. Bingo! Now they know how much equity you have and hence whether suing you is worthwhile.

If a tenant or creditor is contemplating suing you, he will make an appointment with a lawyer. Unless he can afford an attorney by the hour ($150 and up), he will likely seek a “contingency-fee” lawyer. A contingency-fee lawyer does not charge by the hour; he charges a percentage of whatever he collects. Most contingency-fee lawyers will not take a case unless there is something upon which to collect. If you have no real estate in your name, then finding out your ownership interest will not be easy for a typical lawyer. It’s not that lawyers are lazy. It’s simply a matter of allocation of resources; lawyers focus on cases they can win and collect. If they don’t find any assets in your name (and there is no other apparent “deep pocket”), they probably won’t take the case. As you can see, appearing “broke” is the best lawsuit-repellent money can buy!

There is another problem with owning real estate in your own name. If a judgment is obtained against you and filed in any county in which you own real estate, all real estate in that county will have a lien attached to it. You cannot sell or refinance any property in that county since no title insurance company will guarantee a clean title. You’re stuck until you pay off the lien.

Some people use a corporation or limited liability company to hold title to their real estate. While these entities will protect you, they will not protect your property. If you own all of your properties in one corporation, a judgment against the corporation will create a lien on all property owned by the corporation. Furthermore, the directors and officers of a corporation are public records, so a corporation will not hide your ownership.

The solution for holding title to real estate is a land trust. A land trust is a revocable, living trust used to title ownership of the real estate. Title to the property is held in the name of a trustee, who is forbidden to reveal the beneficial owner. The beneficial owner or “beneficiary” can be an individual, corporation, or other entity for further protection.

Land trusts were first used in Illinois, hence the nickname, “Illinois Land Trust.” In nine states (AL, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, ND and VA), land trusts are specifically recognized by statute. In most other states the validity of land trusts is supported by common law and general trust principles (land trusts are not recognized in TN & LA).

A land trust, if properly set up and implemented, will hide your name from the public records. No one will know who owns the property but you, your attorney, and the trustee. If a judgment is entered against you, a lien will not automatically attach to the property, since the title is not in your name.

A transfer of real estate into a land trust virtually no income tax consequences. A land trust is considered a revocable “grantor” trust under the Internal Revenue Code, so it does not require a separate tax identification number or income tax return. Thus, you continue to report the property for income tax purposes as though you still own it. Furthermore, a transfer of property into a land trust will not usually trigger the “due on sale” clause of your mortgage.

So What are you waiting for? Get That Property Out of Your Name!  Having an experienced real estate coach or real estate investor can be a big help!

Related Posts

10 Items to Keep in Mind When Applying a Loan for Your Investment Property

10 Items to Keep in Mind When Applying a Loan for Your Investment Property

5 Ways to Flip a Property

5 Ways to Flip a Property

8 Tips on How to Sell Your Rehab Quickly and Profitably.

8 Tips on How to Sell Your Rehab Quickly and Profitably.

Are you “CLEAR” on What is a Good Deal?

Are you “CLEAR” on What is a Good Deal?

Attorney William Bronchick


Attorney William ("Bill") Bronchick, the host of Legalwiz.com, has authored six best-selling books and is sought nationwide for his 30+ years of real estate and legal knowledge. He has been interviewed by numerous media outlets, such as CNBC, TIME Magazine, USA Today, Investor Business Daily, Forbes, and the LA Times, to name a few. William Bronchick is the co-founder and past President of the Colorado Association of Real Estate Investors and the President of the Colorado Landlords Association. Click on the "About" link above for more information on William Bronchick.

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}