Detailed Answer — the steps to confirm ownership percentage

Start by treating ownership as a records problem. In Connecticut, most legal ownership details are recorded in the land records for the town where the property sits, or they appear in probate or trust documents. Follow these steps in order:

1. Search the Connecticut land records online.

   Use the official Connecticut Land Records search at the State’s site: https://www.propertyinfo.ct.gov/. Search by the property address, your parents’ names, or the book/page or document number (if you have it). Look for deeds, mortgages, releases, assignments, and other recorded instruments. These recorded documents usually show how title is held and whether any fractional interests are specified.

2. Get and read the recorded deed(s).

   The deed that transferred the property to your parents (or shows a later conveyance) will usually identify the form of ownership. Key deed language and what it typically means:

   • “To A and B as tenants in common” — each co-owner holds a separate share. The deed may specify fractions (for example, “one-half” or “50% and 50%”), or it may be silent. If the deed sets percentages, those control. If the deed is silent, courts commonly treat the shares as equal unless circumstances show otherwise.
   • “To A and B as joint tenants with right of survivorship” — co-owners share equal interests and on the death of one the survivor usually takes the deceased’s interest automatically (not by probate).
   • “To A and B, husband and wife” or similar language — may create tenancy by the entirety for married couples, which has special protections and survivorship rules in Connecticut.

   If the deed expressly states percentages, use those numbers to calculate ownership. If it does not, ask a title professional or attorney whether the deed’s language and surrounding facts imply equal shares.

3. Check for other recorded instruments that affect ownership.

   Mortgages, liens, easements, partition judgments, court orders, or quitclaims can change rights or reflect past splits of interest. All of these should appear in the land records search results.

4. Search probate and trust records.

   If one or both parents have died, the transfer method depends on how title was held. If the property passed under a will, the will will be probated. If the property was in a living trust, the trustee’s records or trust instrument control. Check the Connecticut Probate Court pages: https://www.jud.ct.gov/probate/. Probate court dockets and documents may show who the estate representative is and what share the estate owned at death.

5. Obtain certified copies of key documents.

   Get certified copies of the recorded deed, any trust instruments (if applicable), the death certificate(s), probate filings, and any relevant court orders. Town Clerks and the Connecticut Land Records site can provide certified copies for recorded documents. Probate clerks can provide certified probate documents.

6. Order a title report or hire a title abstractor/attorney.

   A professional title search or a title company report will trace the chain of title, list encumbrances, and identify who legally holds which share. A real estate attorney (or title company) can explain ambiguous deed language and provide a clear statement of record ownership percentages.

7. Understand how the property can be sold and who must sign.

   If the property is owned outright by an individual, that person must sign the deed. If owned jointly with survivorship, the surviving joint owner typically must sign. If held by an estate or trust, the executor/administrator or trustee will sign. If the recorded documents show fractional interests among multiple owners (tenants in common), each owner usually must convey their share or sign a deed conveying the whole if others join. The seller must have authority shown in the public record or by certified probate/trust documents.

8. If ownership is disputed or records are unclear, consider a quiet-title action.

   If you cannot resolve who owns what through records, an interested party can ask the Connecticut Superior Court to determine title rights through a quiet-title lawsuit. Consult a Connecticut real property attorney about this option.

Useful official resources:

• Connecticut Land Records (search and certified copies): https://www.propertyinfo.ct.gov/
• Connecticut Probate Courts (wills, estates, guardianships): https://www.jud.ct.gov/probate/
• Connecticut General Statutes (laws on property, probate, and recording): https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/

Example scenarios (hypothetical):

• If the deed recorded in the town land records reads “John Doe and Jane Doe, as tenants in common, each a one-half interest,” then each owns 50% of the property and each must convey their share to sell it, unless they agree otherwise.
• If the deed reads “to John Doe and Jane Doe, as joint tenants with right of survivorship,” each initially owns an equal share, but when one dies the other becomes sole owner automatically (survivorship), so the survivor can convey the property without probate of the deceased’s interest.
• If your parent left property to an estate under a will that has been probated, the executor will hold authority to sell or transfer the property for the estate; distributive shares will follow the will or Connecticut intestacy law if there is no will.

If you are preparing for an imminent sale, getting a prompt title report and certified copies of the recorded deed and probate or trust paperwork will usually answer your percentage-ownership question quickly.

Helpful Hints

• Search the town land records first at propertyinfo.ct.gov. Most answers live there.
• If a deed does not state fractions, ask a title professional—courts often presume equal shares, but facts can change the result.
• Look for a trust. Real property titled into a revocable living trust bypasses probate; ownership will be governed by the trust instrument.
• Obtain certified copies of the deed and any probate order before the sale. Sellers and buyers will want certified records for closing and title insurance.
• Get a title report early. It identifies liens, judgments, mortgages, and competing claims that can affect proceeds and ownership percentages.
• If the property is being sold and you suspect someone is signing without authority, contact a real property attorney quickly—wrongful sale documents can be stopped, but timing matters.
• If you’re an heir and unhappy with how the estate is being handled, request probate records or meet with the estate representative. Probate clerks can direct you to filings that show distribution proposals.
• Keep copies of all documents you retrieve (deeds, death certificates, probate filings). Lenders, closing agents, and title companies will request them.
• If you want to confirm legal effect (not just what the records say), consult a Connecticut real estate attorney. A short attorney review often costs less than disputes or closing delays.