Mississippi Life Estate Deed Form

Create Document

A Mississippi life estate deed allows someone to reserve interest in their real estate during their lifetime while naming a beneficiary to receive it after death. A life estate allows the property to bypass probate when passing to the beneficiary (the “remainderman”), and for the grantor to retain the use of their home as a “life tenant” during their lifetime.

Mississippi Life Estate Deed Form

A Mississippi life estate deed allows someone to reserve interest in their real estate during their lifetime while naming a beneficiary to receive it after death. A life estate allows the property to bypass probate when passing to the beneficiary (the “remainderman”), and for the grantor to retain the use of their home as a “life tenant” during their lifetime.

Create Document
PDF
Word (.docx)
OpenDocument
PDF
Word (.docx)
OpenDocument

Last updated March 12th, 2025

A Mississippi life estate deed allows someone to reserve interest in their real estate during their lifetime while naming a beneficiary to receive it after death. A life estate allows the property to bypass probate when passing to the beneficiary (the “remainderman”), and for the grantor to retain the use of their home as a “life tenant” during their lifetime.

Downloads: 39
  1. Home »
  2. Deeds »
  3. Mississippi »
  4. Life Estate

Life Estate vs. Transfer-on-Death Deed

Both life estate and transfer-on-death (TOD) deeds are estate planning tools that allow a property to be inherited without probate and reduce the beneficiary’s tax burden. However, there are important differences between the two.

Unlike a TOD deed, a life estate deed isn’t revocable; however, it does offer protection from Medicaid claims that a TOD deed doesn’t provide. Furthermore, the grantor in a TOD deed retains total ownership of their real estate, while the life estate grantor forfeits the future interest in their estate to the grantee.

Life Estate Law – § 35-6-03-05-101(2), (3)

Recording Deeds

Deeds must be recorded with the Chancery Clerk’s Office in the property’s county to be considered valid. Before recording, the deed must be signed by the grantor and notarized.[1]

As of this writing, recording fees are $25 for the first 5 pages and $1 for each additional page.[2]

Formatting Requirements

Deeds must meet the following requirements to be accepted for recording[3]:
  1. Single-sided, unbound, and unstapled
  2. Minimum 10-point font size
  3. Minimum 20 lb weight white paper
  4. Black or blue ink
  5. 3” top margin on first page, ¾” margin all other sides and pages

Life Estate Deed (Preview)