The Affidavit – Death of Joint Tenant is a Recorder Sample Document published by the Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder. A surviving joint tenant swears in it that the decedent named in an attached certified Certificate of Death is the same person named as a joint tenant in a recorded document, and states the value of the decedent's property. It touches Riverside County property tax only through its MAIL TAX STATEMENT TO line. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the county publishes the original at the official link below.
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What is Affidavit Death of Joint Tenant – Riverside County, CA?
The Affidavit – Death of Joint Tenant is a sworn statement, published as a Recorder Sample Document by the Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, in which a surviving joint tenant identifies a deceased joint tenant and the recorded document that named that person as a joint tenant.
The printed text has the affiant, "of legal age, being first duly sworn," state three things. First, the decedent mentioned in the attached certified copy of Certificate of Death is the same person named in a recorded document, which the form asks you to describe by type, date, the parties who executed it "as joint tenants," its Instrument No., its recording date and the County Recorder's Official Records. Second, the real property concerned is identified by city, county, state and a legal description. Third, the value of all real and personal property the decedent owned at the date of death, including the full value of that real property, did not exceed the sum entered on the form.
The form also includes signature lines for joint tenants with printed names, a California notary jurat ("SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO (or affirmed) before me"), a "RECORDING REQUESTED BY AND WHEN RECORDED MAIL TO" block, a space reserved for the Recorder's use and a MAIL TAX STATEMENT TO line.
The county says it makes no representation that its sample documents suit your purposes, and its staff cannot give legal advice or help prepare legal documents. The form itself tells you to adapt it to your transaction and to consult a lawyer if you doubt its fitness.
Who needs to file Affidavit Death of Joint Tenant – Riverside County, CA?
The main group is the surviving joint tenant, or joint tenants, who will swear to the facts in the affidavit. The form provides two signature lines labeled "Signature of Joint Tenant," each with a line for the printed full name, and the affiant must be "of legal age."
The form fits a situation in which real property was conveyed to the decedent and another person "as joint tenants" by a document recorded in the Office of the County Recorder, and you can supply that document's type, date, parties and Instrument No.
The form does not say who is legally required to use it, and it does not state any eligibility rule or exclusions. The county's forms page says its sample documents may not suit your purposes and that staff cannot advise you which document is appropriate for your transaction. If you are unsure whether this affidavit fits your situation, the county directs you to an attorney or other professional advice. The form carries the same advice: change whatever is appropriate for your transaction and consult a lawyer if you doubt its fitness.
When to file Affidavit Death of Joint Tenant – Riverside County, CA
The form is completed after the death of a joint tenant, because it must refer to a certified copy of the decedent's Certificate of Death attached to it. The sworn statement is also signed by the surviving joint tenant and completed before a notary public, who fills in the date on the jurat.
Neither the form nor the county's forms page prints a deadline for this affidavit or ties it to a filing window. It is a sample document, so timing depends on the transaction you are preparing it for. The county says completed forms are delivered by mail or in person to your local Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder office, and that its employees cannot give legal advice. Ask an attorney or professional adviser if you need to know when your situation calls for it.
Documents you need
- A certified copy of the Certificate of Death of the decedent, attached to the affidavit; the form refers to it as "the attached certified copy of Certificate of Death."
- The legal description of the real property, written into the space marked "(Insert Legal Description)."
- Details of the recorded document naming the joint tenants: its type, date, the parties, and its Instrument No. and recording date in the Official Records of the County Recorder.
- Satisfactory evidence of identity for the signer, which the notary uses to complete the jurat ("proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence").
How to fill out Affidavit Death of Joint Tenant – Riverside County, CA
Fill in the recording block
At the top, complete RECORDING REQUESTED BY AND WHEN RECORDED MAIL TO with the name, street address, city, state and ZIP code. Leave the space above the line, marked for the Recorder's use, empty.
Enter the state and county
Fill in STATE OF and COUNTY OF on the lines under the title, then write the affiant's name on the line before "of legal age, being first duly sworn."
Name the decedent
Enter the decedent's name, as shown in the attached certified copy of the Certificate of Death, and the name under which that person appears in the recorded document.
Describe the recorded document
Enter the type of document and its date, who executed it and to whom, "as joint tenants." Use the details of the document as recorded.
Enter the recording details
Write the Instrument No., the recording date, and the name of the county and state of the Official Records in the Office of the County Recorder.
Identify the real property
Enter the city, county and state where the property is located, then insert the legal description at the "(Insert Legal Description)" space.
State the value of the property
On the line after "did not then exceed the sum of $," enter the value of all real and personal property the decedent owned at the date of death, including the full value of the real property.
Date and sign the affidavit
Enter the date on the "Dated" line. Each joint tenant signs on a Signature of Joint Tenant line and types or prints his or her full name below it.
Leave the notary block for the notary
In the California notary section, the county name, the day, month and year, the name of the signer, the notary's signature and the seal are completed by the notary public.
Complete the tax statement line
At MAIL TAX STATEMENT TO, enter the name and address where the property tax statement should be mailed.
Review, print and download the PDF
Check that every blank is filled, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF in black ink on 8 1/2" x 11" white paper.
How to submit Affidavit Death of Joint Tenant – Riverside County, CA
The Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder accepts its forms only by mail or in person at your local Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder office; its forms page states that these forms do not allow online submission.
- By mail: send the completed, notarized affidavit to your local Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder office.
- In person: deliver it to your local Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder office.
Print the form in black ink on 8 1/2" x 11" white paper; the county's forms page says all forms must be printed that way. Attach the certified copy of the Certificate of Death that the affidavit refers to. The form's own "RECORDING REQUESTED BY AND WHEN RECORDED MAIL TO" block is where you enter the name and address to which the recorded document should be mailed. The county's pages give no street address or phone number for this form, so confirm the right office with the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving blanks unfilled; the form tells you to fill in all blanks before using it.
- Printing the form in a color other than black ink or on paper other than 8 1/2" x 11" white paper, which the county's forms page requires.
- Trying to submit the affidavit online; the county says its forms must be delivered by mail or in person.
- Not attaching the certified copy of the Certificate of Death that the affidavit says is attached.
- Writing in the "SPACE ABOVE THIS LINE FOR RECORDER'S USE," which is reserved for the Recorder.
- Filling in the notary's certificate yourself; the jurat (date, name, proof of identity, signature and seal) is completed by the notary public.
- Using the sample as is without adapting it to your transaction, although the form says to make whatever changes are appropriate and necessary.
- Giving a value of the decedent's property that omits the full value of the real property; the form says the sum includes it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Affidavit – Death of Joint Tenant?
It is a sworn statement, published by the Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder as a sample document, in which a surviving joint tenant identifies the decedent in an attached certified death certificate with the person named as a joint tenant in a recorded document, and states the value of the decedent's property.
Does this form change my Riverside County property tax?
The form does not describe any tax effect. Its only tax-related item is the MAIL TAX STATEMENT TO line, where you enter the name and address for the property tax statement. For questions about tax on your property, ask the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder or an adviser.
Can I submit the affidavit online?
No. The county's forms page says its forms do not allow online submission and must be delivered by mail or in person to your local Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder office. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF, then print it.
What do I need to attach?
Attach a certified copy of the decedent's Certificate of Death; the affidavit refers to it as the attached document. You also need the details of the recorded document, including its Instrument No., and the legal description of the property.
Does the affidavit need to be notarized?
The form includes a California notary jurat, "SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO (or affirmed) before me," which a notary public completes, with identity proved on the basis of satisfactory evidence. The notary verifies only the identity of the signer, not the truth of the document.
How should I print the Affidavit – Death of Joint Tenant?
Print it in black ink on 8 1/2" x 11" white paper. The county's forms page says all of its forms must be printed that way before you deliver them.
Can county staff help me complete this form?
No. The county says its employees cannot provide legal advice or help prepare legal documents. If you are unsure the form suits your transaction, consult an attorney or obtain other professional advice, as the form itself also advises.
Can I fill out this affidavit on FillingPDF?
Yes. You can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF. FillingPDF is an independent service, not connected to Riverside County, and it does not file or record the affidavit; you deliver it by mail or in person.
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