Future Interests Flashcards
The three future interests capable of creation in the grantor
- Possibility of Reverter
- Right of Entry (a.k.a Power of Termination)
- Reversion
The life estate that accompanies possibility of reverter
Fee simple determinable
The life estate that accompanies right of entry
FS subject to condition subsequent
VA SoL clock starts to run when this happens
Starts to run when the condition happens with a fee simple on a condition subsequent, NOT when the right of entry is exercised.
When an estate has a future interest of reversion
- Grantor transfers estate of lesser duration or magnitude than she started with
- Estate is neither FS determinable or FS subject to a condition subsequent
The three types of future interests held by someone other than grantor
- Vested remainder
- Contingent remainder
- Executory interest
Remainder
A future interest created in a grantee that is capable of becoming possessory upon the expiration of a prior possessory estate created in the same conveyance in which the remainder is created.
Remainders are sociable
Remainders never travel alone. In other words, remain-ders always accompany a preceding estate of known fixed duration (such as a life estate or term of years)
Remainders are patient and polite
A remainder never cuts short or divests the prior taker. Instead, it patiently waits its turn and won’t take until the present life estate or term of years comes to its conclusion.
Contingent remainder
A remainder is this if:
- It is created in an unascertained or unknown person, or
- it is subject to an unmet condition precedent, or both.
Examples of a contingent remainder created in an unascertained or unknown person
- “To A for life, then to B’s first child.” A is alive. B, as yet, has no children.
- “To A for life, then to B’s heirs.” A is alive. B is alive. Because a living person has no heirs, while B is alive his heirs are unknown.
- “To A for life, then to those children of B who survive A.” A is alive. We don’t yet know which, if any, of B’s children will survive A.
When a condition is a condition precedent
when it appears before the language creating the remainder or is woven into the grant to the remainderman.
Example of contingent remainder that is subject to an unmet condition precedent
“To A for life, then, if B graduates from college, to B.” A is alive. B is still in high school. Before B can take, he must graduate from college. He has not yet satisfied this condition precedent. B has a contingent remainder.
A remainder never follows this type of estate
defeasable fee. The holder of a remainder cannot cut short or divest a prior transferee.
When a remainder becomes possessory
On the natural expiration or conclusion of a prior possessory estate created by the same conveyance in which the remainder is created.
Typically, a remainder is the future interest that becomes possessory at the natural conclusion of a preceding life estate or term of years.
Vested remainder
The remainder is is both created in an ascertained person and not subject to a condition precedent.
Condition Precedent
Think of a this as a prerequisite to remainderman’s admission onto Blackacre. It is something that the holder of the remainder must do before being allowed to take.
The three rules that limit contingent remainders
- The Destructibility Rule
- The Rule in Shelley’s Case
- The Doctrine of Worthier Title
The Destructibility Rule
Provides that a contingent remainder would be destroyed if it was still contingent at the time the preceding estate ended.
Example of the destructibility rule
- O conveys “To A for life, and if B has reached the age of 21, to B.”
- A died, leaving behind B, who was 20 at the time.
- B’s contingent remainder would be destroyed and O or O’s heirs would take in fee simple absolute.