California Code of Regulations
Title 18 - Public Revenues
Division 1 - State Board of Equalization-Property Tax (California Department of Tax and Fee Administration - Timber Yield Tax, See Chapter 11)
Chapter 4 - Equalization by State Board
Article 4 - Change in Ownership and New Construction
Section 462.160 - Change in Ownership-Trusts

(A) Trustor-Transferor Beneficiary Trusts. The transfer of real property by the trustor to a trust in which the trustor-transferor is the sole present beneficiary of the trust. However, a change in ownership of trust property does occur to the extent that persons other than the trustor-transferor are or become present beneficiaries of the trust unless otherwise excluded from change in ownership.

Example 1: M transfers income-producing real property to revocable living Trust A, in which M is the sole present beneficiary. Trust A provides that upon M's death, Trust A becomes irrevocable, M's brother B becomes a present beneficiary, and income from the trust property is to be distributed to B for his lifetime. Upon M's death, 100 percent of the property in Trust A, representing B's present beneficial interest, undergoes a change in ownership.

Where a trustee of an irrevocable trust has total discretion ("sprinkle power") to distribute trust income or property to a number of potential beneficiaries, the property is subject to change in ownership, because the trustee could potentially distribute it to a non-excludable beneficiary, unless all of the potential beneficiaries have an available exclusion from change in ownership.

Example 2: H and W transfer real property interests to the HW Revocable Trust. No change in ownership. HW Trust provides that upon the death of the first spouse the assets of the deceased spouse shall be distributed to "A Trust," and the assets of the surviving spouse shall be distributed to "B Trust," of which surviving spouse is the sole present beneficiary. H dies and under the terms of A Trust, W has a "sprinkle" power for the benefit of herself, her two children and her nephew. When H dies, A Trust becomes irrevocable. There is a change in ownership with respect to the interests transferred to the A Trust because the sprinkle power may be exercised so as to omit the spouse and the children as present beneficiaries for whom exclusions from change in ownership may apply, and there are no exclusions applicable to the nephew. However, if the sprinkle power could be exercised only for the benefit of W and her children for whom exclusions are available, the interspousal exclusion and the parent/child exclusion would exclude the interests transferred from change in ownership, provided that all qualifying requirements for those exclusions are met.

Example 3: Same as Example 2 above, except that "A Trust" is without any sprinkle power. When H dies, A Trust becomes irrevocable. Since A Trust holds the assets for the benefit of W, the two children, and the nephew in equal shares, with any of W's share remaining at her death to be distributed to the two children and the nephew in equal shares, there is a change in ownership only to the extent of the interests transferred to the nephew, providing that the parent/child exclusion of Revenue and Taxation Code section 63.1 and the interspousal exclusion of Revenue and Taxation Code section 63 apply to the interests transferred to the two children and to W respectively. Upon the death of W, there is a change in ownership to the extent of the interests transferred to the nephew, although the parent/child exclusion of Revenue and Taxation Code section 63.1 may exclude from change in ownership the interests transferred to the two children. If A Trust had included a sprinkle power, instead of specifying the beneficiaries of the trust income and principal, then as in Example 2, none of the exclusions would apply.

(B) 12 Year Trustor Reversion Trusts. The transfer of real property or ownership interests in a legal entity holding interests in real property by the trustor to a trust in which the trustor-transferor retains the reversion, and the beneficial interest of any person other than the trustor-transferor does not exceed 12 years in duration.

(C) Irrevocable Trusts Holding Interests in Legal Entities. The transfer of an ownership interest in a legal entity holding an interest in real property by the trustor into a trust in which the trustor-transferor is the sole present beneficiary or to a trust in which the trustor-transferor retains the reversion as defined in subdivision (b)(1)(B) of this rule. However, a change in ownership of the real property held by the legal entity does occur if Revenue and Taxation Code section 61, subdivision (i), 64, subdivision (c), or 64, subdivision (d) applies because the change in ownership laws governing interests in legal entities are applicable regardless of whether such interests are held by a trust.

Example 4: Husband and Wife, partners in HW Partnership who are not original co-owners, transfer 70 percent of their partnership interests to HW Irrevocable Trust and name their four children as the present beneficiaries of the trust with equal shares. Husband and Wife do not retain the reversion. Under Revenue and Taxation Code section 64, subdivision (a) the transfer of the partnership interests to HW Irrevocable Trust is excluded from change in ownership because no person or entity obtains a majority ownership interest in the HW Partnership.