Should You Transfer Your Cemetery Plot to Your Trust?
Should you transfer your cemetery plot to your trust? Yes, if you want to make sure that your wishes are carried out. In Arizona, the applicable law defines “cemetery property” that you would transfer to your trust as “a cemetery plot, including interment rights, mausoleum crypts, niches and burial spaces.”
If you have purchased such a cemetery plot or mausoleum niche (such as with a prepaid burial plan), the cemetery will give you a “Certificate of Ownership” for use of the plot. You don’t actually own the plot. There is no deed that gets recorded anywhere. Upon your death, the cemetery will contact the “next of kin” to determine what happens with your body. “Next of kin” generally means your spouse, then your kids (if you have any), or if you aren’t married and have no kids, then your parents or siblings.
But … what if your “next of kin” is someone who is irresponsible or who is estranged from you? Then what?
That would be a good reason to have a revocable living trust and to have the cemetery re-issue the Certificate of Ownership in the name of the trust. The cemetery will charge a small fee (perhaps $200) to re-issue the Certificate of Ownership. To get the ball rolling, I usually have my client sign an Assignment of the lot (or niche). I then fax or email that Assignment to the cemetery, along with the contact information for my client. The cemetery will contact the client to arrange for payment, and will then re-issue the Certificate of Ownership.
Here is the language for a sample Assignment:
Assignment of Personal Property
For value received I, [name of person] of [city and state], assign, transfer, and convey to:
[name of trustee], Trustee of the [name of trust] dated [date of trust], and any amendments thereto
The following described Interment, Entombment, Inurnment or Niche Right of Use:
[Description of the lot or niche, such as Section 6, Block 2, Lot 5, Space 3 Single] situated in [name of cemetery, and County and state of location], according to a map of said plot, Mausoleum or Columbarium filed in the office of the County Recorder of said County, and also in the office of said [name of cemetery], which map is hereby referred to and made a part hereof.
Dated: ___________________ [signature]
STATE OF ARIZONA )
COUNTY OF MARICOPA ) ss.
This instrument was acknowledged before me on [date], by [name].
[Seal]
Notary Public
My commission expires:
Once transferred to the trust, the trustee will be able to ensure that your body is properly disposed of according to your wishes. I suggest making sure that this does not conflict with any Health Care Power of Attorney or other document that gives a person the ability to decide what happens to your remains when you die. Avoid conflicts by having the same person in charge of this decision. (You don’t want your health care power of attorney and trustee fighting over what happens.)