In a joint tenancy, what happens to a co-owner's interest on death?

• A. It automatically passes to the surviving co-owner
• B. It passes to the deceased's heirs
• C. It is divided equally among the surviving co-owners
• D. It is held in trust for the deceased

Answer: (A)

The main idea is the right of survivorship. In a joint tenancy, when a co-owner dies, their interest automatically ceases and vests in the surviving co-owner(s). This means the deceased’s share does not form part of their estate or pass to heirs by will; instead, the remaining co-owners take full ownership of the property. If there are multiple survivors, they collectively absorb the deceased’s share, so the total title remains with the survivors. The only way this changes is if the joint tenancy is severed, converting it to a tenancy in common, in which case the deceased’s share would pass by will or intestacy.