The Division of Trust Land Consolidation provides opportunities for individual Indian landowners to voluntarily sell fractional interests in trust or restricted land, at fair market value, for consolidation under Tribal trust ownership.
Trust Land Consolidation Eligibility
To be eligible for the Trust Land Consolidation program the landowner, the tract of land itself, and the fractional interest must all meet certain criteria.
To be eligible, a landowner must:
- Be an adult with an Individual Indian Money (IIM) account that reflects the landowner’s adult status;
- Be able to make decisions on their own behalf (not under a legal disability based on restricted status of the landowner’s IIM account);
- Have current contact information, including name and address, on record with the Department of the Interior; and
- Own at least one eligible fractional interest in an eligible tract of land (see below).
To be eligible, a tract of land must:
- Be fractionated (have two or more co-owners);
- Be under the jurisdiction of a Federally-recognized Tribe;
- Be mappable; and
- Be appraised, determining fair market value.
To be eligible, a fractional interest must:
- Be individually owned in trust or restricted status;
- Not be subject to a life estate or joint tenancy; and
- Not be pending a legal transaction, such as probate.
Trust Land Consolidation Purchase Offers
The Trust Land Consolidation program is implemented by location. Locations are selected based on a number of factors and in coordination with Tribes. Once a Reservation location is selected for implementation and appraisals are obtained for eligible tracts of land at the location, eligible landowners may receive a purchase offer in the mail. Trust Land Consolidation purchase offers contain an explanatory letter, all documents necessary for the sale, and instructions.
Register as a Willing Seller
If you are interested in selling your fractional interests, you may register as a willing seller by calling the Division of Trust Land Consolidation at (406) 247-7913. Registering as a willing seller does not commit you to selling your fractional interests or guarantee you will receive a purchase offer.
Update Your Contact Information
If you own fractional interests in trust or restricted land, you have an Individual Indian Money (IIM) account managed by the Department of the Interior and you should receive a quarterly IIM account statement. The statement details your land ownership and any deposits to your IIM account (for example, your share of lease income from tracts of trust land you co-own). Your IIM account contact information is used for Trust Land Consolidation purchase offers.
If your IIM account contact information is not up to date, you may not be eligible to receive a Trust Land Consolidation purchase offer. To update your contact information, or to verify that your information is current, visit your local Bureau of Trust Funds (BTFA) office or call the Trust Beneficiary Call Center at (888) 678-6836.
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