Opinion ID: 1945541
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: transfer of real property to trust

Text: [4] We first turn to the question of whether the Sharon L. Moyer Revocable Trust document was sufficient to convey legal title to Moyer's real property to the trustee of the trust. A conveyance of land may occur in a document that is not formally drafted as a deed. [4] In Matter of Estate of Severson, [5] the Iowa Supreme Court stated that [t]he fact that an instrument is not captioned `deed' does not deprive it of legal effect as a conveyance of real estate, provided it is otherwise valid as such a conveyance. The court noted that any writing may be effective as a legal conveyance if it names the grantor and grantee, contains words of grant, describes the land, and is delivered. [6] Although the transfer of real property would have been best memorialized by a separate document, we nevertheless conclude that Moyer's trust agreement operates as a deed transferring real property. Section 76-203 defines a deed as every instrument in writing by which any real estate or interest therein is created, aliened, mortgaged or assigned, or by which the title to any real estate may be affected in law or equity. Neb. Rev. Stat. § 76-211 (Reissue 2003) lists the minimal requirements for an instrument to qualify as a deed, including that it be signed by the grantor or grantors, and be acknowledged or proved and recorded. Moyer's trust document satisfies each of the statutory requirements for a deed of real property. Moyer signed the trust agreement as the settlor of the trust, thus satisfying the requirement of signature by the grantor of the property. Moyer and Ron also signed the agreement as cotrustees, indicating their acceptance of the trusteeship. The agreement was acknowledged by a notary public and was filed with the register of deeds, albeit after Moyer's death. The trust agreement also purports to affect interests in land, as required by § 76-203, by stating in paragraph 1.3 that SETTLOR desires to create a trust and is concurrently herewith transferring certain properties to this trust which are set forth on Appendix `A' attached hereto. Although the special administrator contends that this language is insufficient to demonstrate the settlor's present intent to convey the property, we find this argument unpersuasive. The language of the trust document is unambiguous and clearly demonstrates that Moyer desired to transfer her property to the trust.