When a homeowner dies leaving a life estate, who typically retains rights to the property until the estate's condition is met?

In the context of a life estate, the life tenant is the individual who holds the right to use and occupy the property during their lifetime, as dictated by the terms of the life estate. After the life tenant passes away, their interest in the property ends, and the property will then pass to the remainderman, who holds a future interest conditioned on the life tenant's occupancy.

The rights of the life tenant are those retained during their lifetime, allowing them to use and benefit from the property. This includes the rights to live in the property, receive any income generated from the property, and make decisions regarding its upkeep and maintenance. Therefore, until the life tenant dies, they have all the rights to the property associated with that life estate.

Other parties, such as the heirs of the life tenant or the grantor, do not have rights until the life estate is terminated. The remainderman, who is designated to receive the property upon the death of the life tenant, does not have rights to the property until that condition is met, further highlighting why the life tenant holds the rights until their passing.