Massachusetts homestead

Court Considers Protections Of New Massachusetts Homestead Protection Act, And Questions Still Remain

by Rich Vetstein on May 1, 2012

in Homestead, Massachusetts Real Estate Law

First Reported Case Considering Scope Of New Massachusetts Homestead Law

Advice To Homeowners: Get Your Homestead Declaration Recorded ASAP

One of the benefits of the new Homestead Protection Act signed into law last year is that homeowners can use homestead protections against many more creditors. Under the old homestead law, debts which arose prior to the recording of a homestead declaration were not affected at all by the homestead protection. For example, if a homeowner recorded a homestead declaration on January 1, 2005, but owed a debt to a contractor which arose on December 31, 2004, the contractor could still pursue the full amount.

Under the new homestead law, however, a homeowner is protected from a pre-existing debt (except mortgages) unless a creditor files an attachment or lien prior to the recording of the homestead declaration or if the contractor obtains a court execution “based upon fraud, mistake, duress, undue influence or lack of capacity.” The new Homestead Act is simply much more favorable to homeowners because most creditors do not file liens fast enough and most consumer debts are not the product of fraud, mistake, duress, etc.

Bad Facts Make Bad Law

A recent Superior Court decision in the case of Tewhey v. Bodkins (embedded below) is one of the first reported decisions interpreting the scope of pre-existing debt protection under the new Homestead Act, and illustrates that some confusion remains as to what it does and doesn’t cover. Unfortunately, this case is a classic example of the saying that “bad facts make bad law.”

In Tewhey, the parties were attorney and his former client who obtained a default judgment against the attorney for professional malpractice in her divorce. (It appears that the attorney did not bother to defend the case at all). In 2010, the client recorded on the title to the attorney’s residence a court execution for just short of $50,000. However, 9 months earlier, the attorney’s wife, who owned the property jointly, recorded a homestead declaration.

Under the new Homestead Act, since the wife recorded the homestead before the client recorded the court execution, the client was seemingly out of luck. Well, not so fast said Superior Court Judge Edward P. Leibensperger. No doubt recognizing that the client would get the short end of the homestead stick, the judge ultimately ruled that the client’s claim fell under the exception of a claim based upon “fraud, mistake, duress, undue influence or lack of capacity,” and thus, the client could proceed against the attorney’s property.

In my opinion, the judge misread the statutory language because legal malpractice is a tort and is not covered under the exclusion. We will see what the Appeals Court says as the case is now on appeal.

Take-Aways

As for take-aways, the case illustrates two important things. First, homeowners should get their homestead declarations recorded ASAP, before creditors take legal action. For most consumer debt such as credit cards, this will give you the maximum $500,000 protection. Second and likewise, for creditors, you need to get liens filed on debtor’s property ASAP before they record homestead protection, otherwise you’ll likely get the short end of the homestead stick.

If you need a homestead declaration prepared and recorded, my office will do it for a nominal fee. Please contact us at [email protected].

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Richard D. Vetstein, Esq. is an experienced Massachusetts real estate attorney. They can be reached by email at [email protected] or 508-620-5352.

Tewhey Decision

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A Comprehensive Guide To The New Massachusetts Homestead Act

by Rich Vetstein on March 5, 2011

in Homestead, Massachusetts Real Estate Law

A Guest Post by Harold Clarke, Esq., New England Regional Counsel, Westcor Land Title Insurance Company.

On December 16, 2010, Governor Patrick signed into law a greatly expanded and revised Massachusetts Homestead Act which will take effect on March 16, 2011.

Changing Definition of a “Family”

Since its inception in the 1850’s, the homestead statute, now MGL c. 188, was designed to protect a person’s home from the claims of the homesteader’s creditors. This protection extended not only to the homesteader but to his/her family as well. The legislature realized that the very concept of a “family” has changed over the years and that conflicting court decisions have created confusion regarding certain provisions of the existing homestead law. As a result, this year the legislature repealed the existing statute and replaced it with a new c. 188.

At the outset, the statute defines a family as (1) married individuals, both of whom own a home, and any minor child; (2) a married individual who owns a home, a non-titled spouse of the married individual and any minor child; or (3) an unmarried individual who owns a home and any minor child. For the purpose of the statute, a minor child is a person aged 21 and under.

The statute defines a home as the aggregate of any of the following:  a single family dwelling including accessory structures and the land on which it is located, a 2-4-family dwelling including accessory structures and the land, a manufactured home and for the first time units in a residential condominium or in a cooperative are specifically mentioned.

Automatic Protection for $125,000

The new law provides for an automatic homestead exemption (Section 1C) in the amount of $125,000.00. It’s automatic in that it does not require recording anything in order to obtain its protection. As with the old statute, a homestead only applies to a person’s principal residence. Now, by definition, a person may have only 1 principal residence. In addition, in all mortgage transactions, the closing attorney must provide the borrower with a notice of the right to declare a homestead. The borrower must acknowledge receipt of this notice in writing. The notice must include a summary of the differences between the automatic homestead protection and the enhanced benefits acquired by making and recording a declaration of homestead.

Elective Protection For $500,000

The statute (Section 2) provides the procedure for declaring a homestead. This homestead, referred to as a Section 1B homestead, must be in writing and signed and acknowledged under the penalty of perjury by each owner and then recorded/filed at the appropriate Registry of Deeds. If the owner has a non-titled spouse, he/she must be identified. The declaration must state that each person named intends to or occupies the home as their principal residence. It is to be signed by both spouses if they are the co-owners and the home is or will be each ones principal residence. The homestead must be created by a separate instrument; it can not be incorporated in the deed of the home. The Section 1B exemption remains at $500,000.00.

The statute recognizes two new classes of owners- holders of a life estate and holders of a beneficial interest in a trust. If the home is owned in a trust, only the trustee need execute the homestead.

Elderly Homestead

The statute continues to provide for homesteads for the elderly (age 62 or older) and for disabled persons. There are specific recording requirements for each type of these Section 1A homesteads. The Section 1A exemption also remains at $500,000.00.

For the first time, the statute provides for stacking Section 1B and 1A homesteads on the same home. The statute contains mathematical formulas to calculate the available exemption depending on the way that the title is held between the owners. The statute makes it clear however that no person may concurrently hold rights under a Section 1A and Section1B homestead.

Termination of Homestead

Frequently for real estate attorneys, it is also important to know how to terminate an existing homestead.

A Section 1A homestead is terminated upon: (1) sale or transfer of the homesteader’s interest in the home, except where the elderly or disabled person is also the transferee; (2) a recorded release of the person’s homestead; (3) a subsequent declaration of homestead on another property; (4) the abandonment of the home as the principal residence by the homesteader; (4) upon the death of the homesteader; (5) as to a home owned in a trust, the execution of a deed or recorded release by the trustee.

A Section 1B (and the automatic Section 1C homestead) may be terminated by (1) a deed to a non-family member conveying the home, signed by the owner and a non-owner spouse or former spouse residing in the home as a principal residence as of the date of the deed; (2) a recorded release of the homestead, duly signed and acknowledged by the owner and a non-owner spouse or former spouse residing in the home as a principal residence as of the date of the release; (3) the abandonment of the home as the principal residence by the owner, the owner’s spouse, former spouse or minor children . Note that no person in the military service shall be deemed to have abandoned the home due to such service; (4) if the title is in a trust, by either (a) the execution of a deed or a release of homestead by the trustee or (b) action of a beneficial owner identified in the declaration, who is not a minor child, taken in the same manner as provided in clauses (2) and (3) above; or, (5) a subsequent recorded homestead under Section 1B on another property, except that the declaration shall terminate only the rights of the owner making the subsequent recorded homestead and the rights of that owner’s spouse and minor children who reside or intend to reside in the other property as their principal residence.

Effect of Mortgage Refinancing

Section 6 is of particular interest to real estate attorneys. It provides that an estate of homestead shall be subordinate to a mortgage encumbering the home executed by all the owners of the home. A non-titled spouse does not have to sign the mortgage. A mortgage lender shall not require a release of an existing homestead in a refinance. The statute controls and the mortgage does not have to state that a recorded homestead is subordinate to it.

Other Matters

The statute eliminates the problem of the so-called “silent termination” involving deeds between spouses, former spouses and other co-owners who individually or jointly hold a Section 1B or Section 1C homestead estate, deeds between trustees and trust beneficiaries and life tenants and remaindermen. In these situations, the homestead is not terminated unless it is expressly released, pursuant to the statute, by parties entitled to protection under the act.

The statute also provides that recording a second declaration of homestead on the same property relates back to the initial declaration. Under the old statute, the newer homestead would terminate the earlier one thus exposing the homesteader to the claims of intervening creditors.

As to existing homesteads, they are still valid despite the fact that the act under which they were created has been repealed or that their execution would be invalid under the new statute.

If you would like to discuss this or any other issue, please contact me directly at (617) 823-2719.

Harold Clarke

New England Regional Counsel

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Rich’s Note: Thank you Harold for the informative post!

Two important take-aways: (1) If you don’t have a homestead declaration filed, get it filed. Contact our office and we can do it for you for less than $100; (2) if you already have a declaration of homestead recorded, you automatically get the protection of the new law, so you don’t have to do anything.

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Proposed Legislation To Enhance Massachusetts Homestead Law Protection

by Rich Vetstein on October 21, 2009

in Closings, Homestead, Massachusetts Real Estate Law

There’s a bill (House Bill No. 1584) currently pending this legislative session to update the Massachusetts Homestead Law which would provide additional financial protections to homeowners and consumers in Massachusetts.homestead-stamp

A Massachusetts homestead declaration is a simple and inexpensive tool enabling homeowners to protect up to $500,000 of equity in their principal residence from the majority of creditors. The mechanism is relatively simple. All that is required is the preparation and recording of a Declaration of Homestead with the applicable Registry of Deeds and the payment of a state mandated recording fee. The total cost is typically around $100 to prepare and record the instrument.

The Homestead Exemption provides protection and security to homeowners, eliminating the threat that the equity in their principal residence could be exposed to satisfy common unsecured debts or obligations.

Many feel that the Homestead Law (M.G.L. c. 188 §1, et seq.) is greatly in need of modernization. If ultimately passed, this homestead bill will have a significant impact in favor of Massachusetts consumers and  homeowners who run into financial difficulty.

Here’s a summary of the changes:

  • There will be automatic homestead protection, without the need for recording a declaration, of up to $125,000 in equity, which amount corresponds to some of the limitations on homestead exemptions enacted in 2005 in the Federal Bankruptcy Code as part of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (“BAPCPA”). Individuals and families with more equity in their homes will still have a significant incentive to record a standard declaration to protect up to $500,000 of their equity (the amount of the declared exemption under current law).
  • Beneficiaries of trusts are entitled to homestead protection
  • Mortgages cannot terminate previously filed homesteads – instead, any provision in a mortgage that purports to terminate a homestead is deemed merely to subordinate the homestead to such mortgage
  • Proceeds from the sale of a home, or insurance proceeds, are entitled to homestead protection (for up to a year for sale proceeds, and two years for insurance proceeds)
  • Transfers among family members will not terminate a previously declared homestead – even if the homestead isn’t reserved in the deed
  • Manufactured homes are eligible for protection under all provisions of the statute

We always highly recommend that our buyer clients record a homestead on their principal residence if they have not done so already. The new law will protect those who don’t (up to $125,000), but will provide even more incentive for those who do.

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