An Act to clarify the rights of joint owners of real property and abolish certain inconsistent or archaic rules

This bill clarifies how joint property ownership is established in Massachusetts. It allows property deeds or wills to specify exact ownership percentages for co-owners, removes outdated rules about equal shares, and lets married couples choose "tenancy by the entirety" (a specific ownership type for spouses) if stated in the document. Owners can now record a formal declaration of their chosen ownership type (like joint tenancy or tenancy in common), which will override previous assumptions. The changes apply to all property documents recorded on or after December 31, 2026, affecting anyone owning real estate with others.