Property Taxes Archives

Abandoned Property Partition Action: What to Do When a Co-Owner Walks Away

A co-owner who abandons a property in California does not lose their ownership rights, but their absence often creates financial strain that can be resolved through a partition action. When one co-owner stops contributing, the remaining co-owner is often left covering the mortgage and upkeep alone. This situation is common among unmarried couples, family members, … Read More

Taxes Every California Real Estate Owner Should Understand

Owning real estate in California can create significant financial opportunity — and significant tax complexity. Whether the property is a residence, rental, inherited asset, or co-owned investment, multiple layers of taxes may apply at different stages of co-ownership. For co-owners in particular, taxes often become critically important when a dispute arises, a buyout is negotiated, … Read More

Inheriting a House with an Uncooperative Family Member

Inheriting a home can feel like a blessing, but it often turns into a nightmare when one family member refuses to cooperate. A common problem occurs when a sibling or relative moves into the inherited home, refuses to sell, and doesn’t contribute to property expenses. Meanwhile, the other heirs are left paying taxes, insurance, and … Read More

Partition Offsets: Two Ways to Recover Taxes and Improvements

Partition actions aren’t just about forcing a sale—they’re your chance to get reimbursed for every dollar you put into the property. When a partition action is filed to sell co-owned property, co-owners are entitled to reimbursement for any amounts they overpaid for the property’s expenses or improvements during their co-ownership period. However, determining which reimbursement … Read More

My Co-owner is Not Paying the Property Taxes

It’s not uncommon for one co-owner to bear the brunt of property taxes, especially in scenarios where one co-owner resides on the property while others do not. An issue arises when this arrangement leads to a disparity in financial contributions for maintenance and obligations tied to the property. Implications of Financial Distress The failure of … Read More

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