From The Matus Law Group – How to Transfer Property to a Family Member Without Paying Taxes explores the ins and outs of moving real estate into the hands of loved ones in a tax-efficient way. This episode opens with the federal landscape of gifts, estates, and mortgages, explaining how a seemingly generous act can trigger complicated tax consequences if you’re not careful. It covers key concepts like the annual gift exclusion, the lifetime gift and estate tax exemption, and how looming changes could affect your plans.

In the second segment, we shift focus to the state level — specifically New Jersey — and unpack how regional inheritance tax rules, beneficiary classifications, and local property-transfer protocols can change the equation entirely. With insights from attorney Christine Matus of The Matus Law Group, we highlight why even direct family transfers may still carry hidden costs or risks if the state laws aren’t navigated.

Next, we dive into strategic pathways: using wills or trusts, making outright lifetime gifts, or employing more advanced tools like Qualified Personal Residence Trusts (QPRTs) and other trust-based methods that preserve control while reducing tax exposure. You’ll hear practical advice for matching the right method to your goals and beneficiaries, including how the stepped-up basis for inherited assets works in practice.

Finally, we walk you through the tactical checklist for executing a property transfer in New Jersey: choosing the correct deed type (quitclaim vs warranty), running a title search, handling existing mortgages, preparing and notarizing paperwork, and recording the deed. These are the concrete steps that separate smooth transitions from unintended tax or legal headaches. Whether your goal is helping a child now or securing your legacy later, this episode equips you with the knowledge to act confidently.

The Matus Law Group

125 Half Mile Rd #201A, Red Bank, NJ 07701, United States

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