Which describes a life estate?

• A. An interest that lasts for the life of a named person and reverts to the grantor or remainderman.
• B. An interest that lasts for a fixed term of years.
• C. An interest that lasts forever and cannot be terminated.
• D. An interest that grants property for the life of the grantee's heirs.

Answer: (A)

A life estate is an ownership interest that lasts for the life of a named person (the measuring life) and ends when that life ends, with the property then reverting to the grantor or passing to a designated remainderman. The statement described matches this precisely: the duration is tied to a specific person’s life, and at that life’s end the property reverts to the grantor or goes to a remainderman.

This isn’t a fixed term of years (that would be a leasehold or term estate), nor an indefinite perpetual ownership (that would be a fee simple). It also isn’t a grant for the grantee’s heirs (that would resemble a fee tail or another non-life-estate arrangement).