Life estate

A life estate is the legal right of a person to occupy certain real property until their death, at which time the right to occupy the property will pass to another. A life estate may be granted as a "future interest" in real property. The most common life estate is that of a surviving spouse, who will usually have the right to remain in the home, as long as s/he so desires, even if title to the home was granted to another (such as their child).