A trust deed—also known as a deed of trust—is a document sometimes used in real estate transactions in the U.S. It is a document that comes into play when one party has taken out a loan from another party to purchase a property. The trust deed represents an agreement between the borrower and a lender to have the property held in trust by a neutral and independent third party until the loan is paid off.

Trust deeds and mortgages are both used in bank and private loans for creating liens on real estate, and both are typically recorded as debt in the county where the property is located.

However, a mortgage involves two parties: a borrower (or mortgagor) and a lender (or mortgagee). In contrast, a trust deed involves three parties: a borrower (or trustor), a lender (or beneficiary), and the trustee. The trustee holds title to the lien for the lender's benefit; if the borrower defaults, the trustee will initiate and complete the foreclosure process at the lender's request.