transfer unrecorded copyrights after my death

[TTDeb]

What is the name of your state (Idaho)?

I am a needlework designer, and have published and sold many designs being sold through two distributors. The copyrights are not registered the US Copyright office but rather, each design has the copyright information imprinted upon each chart and each image of each design. I have Revocable Trust and Will set up. However, the designs are not yet specifically mentioned in that document.

I would prefer to not go to the great expense of registering each design for copyright. One reason is that I am continually creating and publishing new designs.

Upon my death, I want to gift or transfer the copyrights of each design to a certain person so they can continue to legally sell those designs. Is there a suggestion on an efficient way to do this?

Thank you for any help.

TTDeb

 

[FlyingRon]

Upon my death, I want to gift or transfer the copyrights of each design to a certain person so they can continue to legally sell those designs. Is there a suggestion on an efficient way to do this?

You either make a will that indicates where the copyright should go on your death or you transfer them while you are alive to a trust.

 

[TTDeb]

: transfer unrecorded copyrights after my death

You either make a will that indicates where the copyright should go on your death or you transfer them while you are alive to a trust.

FlyingRon, thank you for that info. Here is what is going on with us. My company has indeed been transferred into the trust, incidentally. I do have a will as part of the trust documents, but at this time only the distributions of money is listed, not anything tangible. According to our attorney, all l need to do is write my wishes on a certain page of the Trust document called "Person Property Distributions". I just do not see how putting this statement that my friend is to acquire ownership of those copyrights just by my writing that in. I just do not want her to have any trouble later on.

 

[tranquility]

I just do not want her to have any trouble later on.

She can't get in trouble. A copyright might better be thought of the ability to stop another from doing something and not the right to do it yourself.

Go ahead and follow your attorney's advice.

 

[FlyingRon]

The only problem you're likely to have is if you have another person who claims that the property rightfully became theirs after your death (typically children or a spouse). It's really not much different than tangible property in that respect.

 

[TTDeb]

: transfer unrecorded copyrights after my death

Thank you both for this assurance. I am pleased to have I found this forum with folks who reply quickly and with good answers.

Deb

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state (Idaho)?

I am a needlework designer, and have published and sold many designs being sold through two distributors. The copyrights are not registered the US Copyright office but rather, each design has the copyright information imprinted upon each chart and each image of each design. I have Revocable Trust and Will set up. However, the designs are not yet specifically mentioned in that document.

I would prefer to not go to the great expense of registering each design for copyright. One reason is that I am continually creating and publishing new designs.

Upon my death, I want to gift or transfer the copyrights of each design to a certain person so they can continue to legally sell those designs. Is there a suggestion on an efficient way to do this?

Thank you for any help.

TTDeb

TTDeb, you are right that you received good answers from both FlyingRon and from tranquility. I have a question for you, though.

Have you licensed or assigned any of the rights to your works to another or others (e.g., distribution rights)?

Here is a link to the US Copyright Office's Circular 92 which addresses the death of the author of a copyrighted work. You might want to read through it.

http://copyright.gov/title17/92chap3.html

And following your attorney's advice is always recommended.