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terminable interest

terminable interest

9.9
A temporary right to property that ends on a set event, for example death or remarriage
  • noun
  • /ˈtɜːrmɪnəbl ˈɪntrəst/
  • Formal
translation icon : interés rescindible
  • The terminable interest expires after five years.

Examples

  • His lawyer explained that a terminable interest means he won't have rights to the property forever.

  • A trust may grant a terminable interest to a spouse, which ends upon remarriage or death.

  • Under the will, she received only a terminable interest in the estate, not outright ownership.

  • A terminable interest can be created in a lease agreement.

  • A Qualified Terminable Interest Trust ensures that your spouse receives income from the trust while allowing you to control how assets are distributed after their death.

  • In estate planning, establishing a terminable interest can help manage the distribution of property after certain events occur.

  • The attorney explained that a terminable interest is an important component of trusts, as it defines when the beneficiary's rights to the property will cease.

Antonyms

93 5.8

Lasting for a very long time without stopping

How Permanent

freehold
  • UK
1 8.2
terminable interest
  • Formal
9.9
lease
  • Specialized
203 3.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

terminable + interest

The phrase is directly compositional: 'terminable' means able to be ended and 'interest' means a right or stake, so the combined meaning 'a right that can be ended' is predictable from the parts. Although the phrase is formal/legal, its semantics follow regular English composition patterns and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.

Etymology

The term terminable interest comes from the words terminable, meaning 'can end', and interest, meaning a person's right in property. Imagine a lamp on a timer: the light, the right, goes out when the time is up, so a terminable interest is a right that 'ends' at a set time or when a certain event happens.