A life estate conveys to the individual to whom it is given certain property rights
for the duration of his or her life, or someone else's life. In some cases, it may
be conditional: e.g., for life or until remarriage.
The owner of a life estate can sell the life estate but does not have title to the
property and thus normally cannot sell it or pass it on as an inheritance.
However, some States allow life estates “with powers,” wherein the owner of the property creates a life estate for himself or herself, retaining
the power to sell the property, with a remainder interest to someone else, e.g., a
child.