Why have a transmutation agreement?

Simply deeding property or changing the documents of title on stock or other assets may not change ownership rights in California between married persons. The legislature and the courts have set out complicated rules that must be followed to change how title is held after a transaction between spouses. For example, simply changing the ownership of stock from one party to the other without some statement of intent has been held to be inadequate to transmute the stock from one party to the other. Likewise, a quit claim deed, without more, may be ambiguous about the intent of the parties.