<P> In the United States, a life estate is typically used as a tool of an estate planning . A life estate can avoid probate and ensure that an intended heir will receive title to real property . For example, Al owns a home and desires that Bill inherit it after Al's death . Al can effectuate that desire by transferring title to the home to Bill and retaining a life estate in the home . Al keeps a life estate and Bill receives a vested fee simple remainder . As soon as Al dies, the life estate interest merges with Bill's remainder, and Bill has a fee simple title . Such a transfer risks the small risk of a fraud on the part of beneficiary Bill if he could easily show in a particular jurisdiction an unfettered fee simple, selling the estate prematurely to an innocent purchaser such as when Al is on vacation but makes the use of a will unnecessary and eliminates the need to probate the asset . A second disadvantage to the grantor is that provision for any remainderman (or men) (party C) is irrevocable without the remainderman's consent . "Beneficiary deeds" have been statutorily created in some states to address this issue . </P> <P> The intestacy laws of certain American states, such as Arkansas, Delaware, and Rhode Island limit the surviving spouse's rights (inheritance) to the deceased spouse's real estate to a life estate . Louisiana applying an itemised (civil law) code has alike default provisions for succession, called usufruct . </P> <P> The intestacy laws of England and Wales from 1 October 2014 provide for £ 250,000 (or the whole non-joint estate if less) and 50% of any excess to the spouse, remainder to adult children . This abolished the remaining 50% being enjoyed as a life interest which had applied from the 1920s . </P> <P> The surviving spouse (and rarely, others) benefit from survivorship of any joint property . </P>

When did common law typically define end of life