What legal term describes a situation where property is conveyed to others while retaining a tenancy for one's life?

The legal term that describes a situation where property is conveyed to others while the original owner retains a tenancy for their life is known as life tenancy. In this context, a life tenant holds the right to live on and use the property for the duration of their life, even though they no longer own the property outright. This arrangement allows a person to transfer ownership of the property to another party while ensuring that they can continue to benefit from it until their passing.

This is a common legal strategy in estate planning, enabling the property owner to provide for heirs or beneficiaries while still maintaining some control and use of the property during their lifetime. Once the life tenant passes away, the property passes to the remainderman (the person or party designated to receive it after the life tenant's right ends), which exemplifies the transitional nature of this arrangement.

In contrast, joint tenancy involves co-ownership with rights of survivorship, where upon the death of one owner, their interest automatically passes to the surviving owner(s). Tenancy in common allows for ownership by multiple parties without the right of survivorship, meaning interests can be passed to heirs rather than automatically transferring to living co-owners. Property reversion refers to the return of property to the original grantor