Unlike tenants in common, joint tenants

Unlike tenants in common, joint tenants

• A. own distinct portions of the physical property.
• B. cannot will their interest to a party outside the tenancy.
• C. may own unequal shares of the property.
• D. cannot sell their interest to outside parties.

Answer: (B)

Joint tenancy is defined by the right of survivorship: when one owner dies, their share passes automatically to the surviving owners, and all owners hold an equal, undivided interest in the property. Because of this survivorship feature, a joint tenant cannot will their interest to someone outside the tenancy—the interest doesn’t become part of the deceased owner’s will or pass to heirs. Other statements don’t fit joint tenancy for these reasons: owners don’t hold distinct portions of the property, and they don’t have unequal shares — joint tenancy requires equal, undivided ownership. Selling a joint tenant’s interest is possible, but it typically severs the joint tenancy with the remaining owners and converts the interest to a tenancy in common with the new owner, rather than preserving the original joint tenancy.

Joint tenancy is defined by the right of survivorship: when one owner dies, their share passes automatically to the surviving owners, and all owners hold an equal, undivided interest in the property. Because of this survivorship feature, a joint tenant cannot will their interest to someone outside the tenancy—the interest doesn’t become part of the deceased owner’s will or pass to heirs.

Other statements don’t fit joint tenancy for these reasons: owners don’t hold distinct portions of the property, and they don’t have unequal shares — joint tenancy requires equal, undivided ownership. Selling a joint tenant’s interest is possible, but it typically severs the joint tenancy with the remaining owners and converts the interest to a tenancy in common with the new owner, rather than preserving the original joint tenancy.