What is a deed in the context of estate planning?

In the context of estate planning, a deed is fundamentally a legal document that transfers ownership of real property. It serves as official evidence that establishes and confirms the rights of ownership, allowing the title to pass from one party to another. The deed outlines key information such as the names of the current owner (grantor) and the new owner (grantee), a description of the property being transferred, and any conditions or warranties related to the transfer. This aspect is crucial in estate planning as real estate often constitutes a significant part of an individual's assets.

While other documents mentioned play important roles in estate planning, they do not define what a deed is. For instance, naming beneficiaries is typically handled by wills or beneficiary designations, trust declarations do not involve transferring property title in the same manner as deeds, and a will focuses on the distribution of a person's assets after their death rather than a direct transfer of real estate ownership during life.