Which ownership model is based on the principle that a marriage creates a single legal entity?

The ownership model that operates on the principle that a marriage creates a single legal entity is tenancy by the entirety. This form of ownership is specifically designed for married couples and recognizes that the spouses have an equal and undivided interest in the property. It reflects the legal concept that a married couple functions as one entity, which means that neither spouse can transfer their interest in the property without the consent of the other.

Tenancy by the entirety also provides important protections for married couples, such as preventing creditors of one spouse from seizing the property to satisfy debts of that spouse alone. This form of ownership enhances the security of jointly owned property and the unity of the marital relationship.

Community property, while it pertains to married couples and involves ownership concepts under which most property acquired during the marriage is considered jointly owned, does not create the same legal entity notion as tenancy by the entirety. Tenancy in common and joint tenancy, on the other hand, are more general forms of ownership that can include individuals who are not married and do not encapsulate the unique legal status that marriage affords in property ownership under tenancy by the entirety.