Heirs Brochure- 2021 CALS

WHY DOES IT MATTER? KEEP THE WEALTH IN THE FAMILY Property can be developed for economic opportunities Access funding to improve your property or develop resources on your property Property or individual interest in the property can be sold You can pass your interest in the land to your children and their children

PROTECTING YOUR PROPERTY Obtain insurance on the home Protect your home from tax sales Understand your rights as a property owner Access state and local funding to rebuild and reclaim if your home is damaged or destroyed during a natural disaster

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ARKANSAS HEIR PROPERTY RECLAIMING WEALTH THROUGH LAND RIGHTS

HOW DO WE UNLOCK OUR RIGHTS? RESEARCH TITLE HISTORY Go to your county's real estate records office to pull copies of the titles to your property. These documents should tell you which ancestor last had title to the property.

WHAT IS "HEIR PROPERTY"?

Land informally passed down from generation to generation Not protected from sale, even if taxes are paid Not protected from sale even if family members live on the land Land is co-owned by all possible heirs, and any heir can exercise their rights, even if they don't live on the land or have never seen the land

MAKE A FAMILY TREE Starting with the last person who had title to the property, make a family tree of all possible heirs. Write down birth dates and death dates, marriages, and children of each person. This may be complicated, and there may be dozens of heirs.

DISCUSS YOUR OPTIONS Talk to other heirs in your family about the future of the property, and what each heir wishes to happen to the property.

When you are ready, contact an attorney to get started.

ARKANSAS IS HOME Because there may be so many possible heirs to your property, clearing up ownership interest protects family members who live on the property from forced sales by distant family members who have never been to the homestead.

Talk to your family about investigating your rights in heir property.