Enhanced Life Estate Deed - Vermont
Enhanced Life Estate Deed
Vermont statutory form deed — 27 V.S.A. § 660
Before you use this: Confirm the current recorded title, all owners who must sign, the property's legal description, any homestead or other interests, and the intended grantee tenancy with a Vermont attorney. Complete the property transfer tax filing applicable to recording this deed.
Prepared by: [________________________________]
Return recorded deed to: [________________________________]
Grant and property
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that I/we, [GRANTOR FULL LEGAL NAME(S)], of [TOWN], in the County of [COUNTY] and State of Vermont, Grantor(s), without consideration, by these presents do freely GIVE, GRANT, SELL, CONVEY, AND CONFIRM unto [GRANTEE FULL LEGAL NAME(S)], of [ADDRESS], in the County of [COUNTY] and State of [STATE], and their heirs and assigns forever, as [INSERT NATURE OF TENANCY], a certain piece of land in [TOWN], in the County of [COUNTY] and State of Vermont, described as follows:
Property description: [INSERT COMPLETE LEGAL DESCRIPTION FROM CURRENT DEED OR ATTACH A SCHEDULE EXPRESSLY INCORPORATED HERE]
Prior deed reference: [GRANTOR'S DEED DATE, TOWN LAND RECORD BOOK AND PAGE OR INSTRUMENT NUMBER]
Existing encumbrances and title exceptions: [LIST RECORDED MORTGAGES, EASEMENTS, RESTRICTIONS, AND OTHER EXCEPTIONS, OR ATTACH SCHEDULE]
Grantor's reserved rights
This is an enhanced life estate deed executed pursuant to, and with the rights and privileges set forth in, 27 V.S.A. chapter 6, the Enhanced Life Estate Deed Act. Grantor(s), or the survivor of them, reserve unto themselves:
- A common law life estate, with exclusive use, possession, and enjoyment of the property during their lifetime; and
- The right to convey the property during their lifetime, including the right to sell, gift, lease, mortgage, encumber, revise, or revoke this deed, without the grantee's joinder, consent, agreement, or notice, as provided in chapter 6.
The grantee's remainder is contingent. No grantee receives a vested present interest by this deed. If the property has not previously been conveyed, the interest stated in this deed vests at the grantor's death, subject to encumbrances of record and 27 V.S.A. § 658 if a grantee dies first.
Reference is made to the prior deeds and records identified above, and to the deeds and records contained in them, in further aid of the property description.
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the granted premises, with all privileges and appurtenances, to the grantee(s) and their heirs and assigns forever, as [REPEAT NATURE OF TENANCY], subject to the grantor's reserved rights and the exceptions stated above.
Grantor(s), for themselves and their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, covenant that until the signing of this deed they are the sole owner(s) of the premises and have good right and title to convey in the manner stated above. Grantor(s) covenant that the premises are free from encumbrances except those listed above, and warrant and defend the granted premises against lawful claims, except as otherwise provided in this deed.
Execution
Grantor(s) have signed this deed on [__/__/____].
Grantor signature: [________________________________] Printed name: [________________________________]
Grantor signature: [________________________________] Printed name: [________________________________]
Notary acknowledgment
State of [________________] County of [________________]
On [__/__/____], before me personally appeared [GRANTOR NAME(S)], who acknowledged signing this enhanced life estate deed as their free act and deed.
Notary public signature: [________________________________]
Printed name: [________________________________] Commission expiration: [__/__/____]
Record this signed and acknowledged deed in the land records of the Vermont town where the land lies.
Sources and references
About this template
- Last updated
- October 3, 2026
- Citations checked
- October 3, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- Vermont
- Category
- Estate Planning & Wills
Legal authority
- 27 V.S.A. §§ 651–660 (Enhanced Life Estate Deed Act and optional form)
- 27 V.S.A. § 341(a) (signature, acknowledgment, town recording)
Estate planning documents decide what happens to your property, your children, and your medical care when you cannot make those decisions yourself. Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives each serve different purposes and each have to meet state law requirements for signing, witnessing, and notarization. A document that looks fine on the page but was not executed correctly can be rejected in probate, which is exactly when it is too late to fix.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on October 3, 2026.
27 V.S.A. §§ 651–660 (checked October 3, 2026): "If not previously conveyed during the lifetime of the grantor, upon the death of the grantor, subject to encumbrances of record, the interest stated in an ELE deed vests in the grantee or, for a deceased grantee, the interest passes pursuant to section 658 of this title."
27 V.S.A. § 652 (checked October 3, 2026): "This chapter applies to deeds in which a grantor reserves a common law life estate interest in real property while expressly reserving rights such that the deed creates a contingent remainder interest in the grantee."
27 V.S.A. § 653(2) (checked October 3, 2026): "the grantee acquires a contingent remainder interest such that, prior to the death of the grantor, the grantee has no vested rights in the property"
27 V.S.A. § 654(b)–(d) (checked October 3, 2026): "The grantor may convey the property described in an ELE deed, or any portion thereof, without the need for joinder by, consent from, agreement of, or notice to the grantee."
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