American Land Title Association (ALTA) Practice Exam 2025 - Free ALTA Practice Questions and Study Guide

Identifying multiple owners in tax records is typically done by listing the first owner's name followed by "et al," which stands for "et alia" meaning "and others." This method is standard because it succinctly acknowledges the presence of additional owners without having to provide a lengthy list of all names. This approach is both efficient and complies with privacy considerations, which may prevent full disclosure of personal information.

While listing all names may seem thorough, it can be cumbersome and impractical, especially when there are many co-owners. Using initials for privacy, while it offers anonymity, may lead to confusion when trying to determine ownership details since initials can be non-specific. Simply using last names lacks clarity because multiple individuals may share the same surname, thereby obfuscating the true ownership. Hence, the most effective method to identify multiple owners, ensuring clarity while also maintaining a reasonable level of privacy, is to list the first owner followed by "et al."