- Write a will: This is the most important thing an Indian person can do to protect trust land from fractionation and from going out of Indian control. If you do not write a will, you will have no control over who receives your property after you pass and fractionated ownership continues, with heirs receiving ever-smaller undivided interests in the title to land rather than individual pieces of land. By writing a will, you can choose who receives your property and how much is distributed to each person. You can help stop fractionation by giving all of the land to one person, or by giving land to people in areas where they already own land.
Other ways you can help stop fractionation include:
- Gift conveyance: Gift deed your undivided interests to your tribe or another Native person.
- Sale of undivided interests: Sell your undivided interests to your tribe or another Native person.
- Land consolidation or exchange: Consolidate your land holdings by exchanging multiple interests with your tribe.