What type of estate is measured by a person's lifetime?

A life estate is an interest in real property that is measured by the lifetime of a specific person, often referred to as the life tenant. This type of estate grants the individual the right to use and occupy the property during their lifetime. Upon the death of the life tenant, the property passes to another party, known as the remainderman. The life tenant does not have the ability to transfer ownership beyond their lifetime, which is a distinguishing feature of a life estate compared to a fee simple estate that represents full ownership with unrestricted rights.

This focus on a person's lifetime is critical in understanding the temporary nature of a life estate, emphasizing its uniqueness in the broader context of property interests. Other types of estates, such as fee simple or leasehold estates, do not have this time-based limitation and therefore do not fulfill the definition of being measured by a person's lifetime.