(a) Subject to subdivisions (b), (c), and (d), if proceedings for the administration of the transferor’s estate are commenced, each beneficiary is liable for:
(1) The restitution to the transferor’s estate of the property the beneficiary received pursuant to the revocable transfer on death deed if the beneficiary still has the property, together with (A) the net income the beneficiary received from the property and (B) if the beneficiary encumbered the property after the transferor’s death, the amount necessary to satisfy the balance of the encumbrance as of the date the property is restored to the estate.
(2) The restitution to the transferor’s estate of the fair market value of the property if the beneficiary no longer has the property, together with (A) the net income the beneficiary received from the property prior to disposing of it and (B) interest from the date of disposition at the rate payable on a money judgment on the fair market value of the property. For the purposes of this paragraph, the “fair market value of the property” is the fair market value, determined as of the time of the disposition of the property, of the property the beneficiary received pursuant to the revocable transfer on death deed, less the amount of any liens and encumbrances on the property at the time of the transferor’s death.
(b) Subject to subdivision (c), if proceedings for the administration of the transferor’s estate are commenced and a beneficiary made a significant improvement to the property received by the beneficiary pursuant to the revocable transfer on death deed, the beneficiary is liable for whichever of the following the transferor’s estate elects:
(1) The restitution of the property, as improved, to the estate of the transferor upon the condition that the estate reimburse the beneficiary for (A) the amount by which the improvement increases the fair market value of the property restored, determined as of the time of restitution, and (B) the amount paid by the beneficiary for principal and interest on any liens or encumbrances that were on the property at the time of the transferor’s death.
(2) The restoration to the transferor’s estate of the fair market value of the property, determined as of the time of the transferor’s death, less the amount of any liens and encumbrances on the property at that time, together with interest on the net amount at the rate payable on a money judgment running from the time of the transferor’s death.
(c) The property and amount required to be restored to the estate under this section shall be reduced by any property or amount paid by the beneficiary to satisfy a liability under Section 5672.
(d) An action to enforce the liability under this section may be brought only by the personal representative of the estate of the transferor. Whether or not the personal representative brings an action under this section, the personal representative may enforce the liability only to the extent of the beneficiary’s liability under Section 5672. The reasonable cost of proceeding under this section shall be reimbursed as an extraordinary service under Sections 10801 and 10811. Action under this section is optional. A personal representative is never required to act under this section.
(e) An action to enforce the liability under this section is forever barred three years after the transferor’s death. The three-year period specified in this subdivision is not tolled for any reason. Nothing in this subdivision affects the requirements of Section 215, any law that may toll the limitations period for the commencement of a Medi-Cal estate recovery action, or the time for commencement of an action by the State Department of Health Care Services under Section 14009.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(f) If property is restored to the transferor’s estate under this section, that property shall be treated as a specific gift and any proceeds remaining from the sale of the property after the payment of claims shall be returned to the beneficiary.
(Added by Stats. 2015, Ch. 293, Sec. 17. (AB 139) Effective January 1, 2016. Repealed as of January 1, 2022, pursuant to Section 5600.)