What is the role of the life tenant in a conventional life estate?

In a conventional life estate, the life tenant serves as the temporary holder of rights to the property. This means that the life tenant has the right to use, occupy, and benefit from the property during their lifetime. However, their interest in the property is limited to their lifespan. Once the life tenant passes away, the rights to the property pass to another party, known as the remainderman. This structure ensures that while the life tenant has significant control and use of the property for as long as they live, their ownership is not permanent and is dependent on their life.

The other roles described, such as being a property owner without restrictions, an heir, or an executor of a trust, do not accurately reflect the nature of a life tenant's responsibilities and rights within a conventional life estate. The life tenant's rights are specifically temporary and regulated by the terms of the life estate. The concept fundamentally highlights the temporary nature of the life tenant's claim in relation to the property involved.