Rights of a Person with Life Estate

[Jan Stimmell]

My question involves estate proceedings in the state of: Ohio
my mother has life estate of my fathers vacation proberty and my sister is the property owner, What rights does my mother have? Can she change her mind and add her 4 other children to the deed,? can she leave life estate, after her death, to her other children? Can she rent the property as she sees fit? can the property owner tell her what she will and won't do with this vacation property?

[mmmagique]

It is only hers for her lifetime.
She cannot leave it to someone else.
She has an obligation not to commit waste to the property. (which encompasses some surprising areas, such as not over-improving it)

[lwpat]

She can rent the property and the remainderman cannot tell her what to do with the property within certain limits. She can also sell or gift her life estate but it ends at her death. Life estates are usually a big problem.