A. Except as otherwise provided in the transfer on death deed or in Subsection B, C or D of this section or in Section 45-2-603, 45-2-702, 45-2-706, 45-2-707, 45-2-802, 45-2-803 or 45-2-804 NMSA 1978, on the death of the transferor, the following rules apply to property that is the subject of a transfer on death deed and owned by the transferor at death:

1. (1) provided that the designated beneficiary survives the transferor, the interest in the property is transferred to the designated beneficiary in accordance with the deed;
2. (2) the interest of a designated beneficiary that fails to survive the transferor lapses;
3. (3) subject to Paragraph (4) of this subsection, concurrent interests are transferred to the beneficiaries in equal and undivided shares with no right of survivorship; and

4. (4) if the transferor has identified two or more designated beneficiaries to receive concurrent interests in the property, the share of one that lapses or fails for any reason is transferred to the other, or to the others in proportion to the interest of each in the remaining part of the property held concurrently.

   B. Subject to Chapter 14, Article 9 NMSA 1978, a beneficiary takes the property subject to all recorded conveyances, encumbrances, assignments, contracts, mortgages, liens and other recorded interests to which the property is subject at the transferor's death. For purposes of this subsection and Chapter 14, Article 9 NMSA 1978, the recording of the transfer on death deed is deemed to have occurred at the transferor's death.

   C. If a transferor is a joint owner and is:

5. (1) survived by one or more other joint owners, the property that is the subject of a transfer on death deed belongs to the surviving joint owner or owners with right of survivorship; or

6. (2) the last surviving joint owner, the transfer on death deed is effective.

   D. A transfer on death deed transfers property without covenant or warranty of title even if the deed contains a contrary provision.

History: 1978 Comp., § 45-6-413, enacted by Laws 2013, ch. 38, § 13.

ANNOTATIONS

Effective dates. — Laws 2013, ch. 38, § 18 provided that Laws 2013, ch. 38, § 13 was effective January 1, 2014.