Legal Definitions - liferentrix

A liferentrix is an archaic legal term referring specifically to a woman who possesses a liferent. A liferent is a legal right to use, occupy, or receive income from a property or asset for the duration of one's life, without actually owning the property itself. The ownership (often called the "fee" or "reversionary interest") belongs to another party, who will gain full control of the property only after the liferentrix's death.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1: Residential Property

  Mr. Henderson's will stipulated that his wife, Mrs. Henderson, would have the right to live in their family home for the remainder of her life. Upon her death, the house would then pass fully to their children. In this scenario, Mrs. Henderson is the liferentrix because she has the lifetime right to occupy and use the property, even though the ultimate ownership is designated for her children.

• Example 2: Income from Investments

  A wealthy benefactor established a trust that provided his elderly sister, Eleanor, with all the annual dividends and interest generated by a specific portfolio of stocks and bonds. The trust document specified that upon Eleanor's passing, the principal of the investment portfolio would be donated to a university. Eleanor, in this case, is the liferentrix, as she receives the income from the assets for her lifetime, but does not own the underlying investments themselves.

• Example 3: Agricultural Land Use

  A landowner, wishing to ensure the well-being of his long-serving female farm manager, granted her the right to cultivate a specific parcel of land and retain all profits from its produce for as long as she lived. The landowner's heir was designated to inherit full control of the land after her death. Here, the farm manager acts as the liferentrix, holding the lifetime right to use and benefit from the land, without holding its title.