Legal Definitions - nonpossessory estate

A nonpossessory estate is a type of property interest where the privilege of possession or enjoyment is not present but is expected in the future. This type of estate is also known as a future interest or expectant estate.

For example, if a person grants a property to someone else for a specific period, say five years, then the grantee has a nonpossessory estate in the property. The grantee does not have the right to possess or enjoy the property until the end of the five-year period.

Another example is when a person transfers their entire estate to someone else, but the transfer is subject to a condition that the property will go to a third person after a specific period. In this case, the third person has a nonpossessory estate in the property until the end of the specified period.

These examples illustrate that a nonpossessory estate is a type of property interest where the right to possess or enjoy the property is not present but is expected in the future.