Maine Real Estate License Practice Exam

If Dolly executes a deed to her farm and stores it, who inherits the farm after her death?

1. Carson

2. Dolly's heirs

3. The state of Maine as abandoned property

4. Carson's heirs

The correct answer is: Dolly's heirs

The correct answer is based on the principle of inheritance and property law. When Dolly executes a deed to her farm, she is transferring ownership rights to that property. If she stores the deed and does not take further action to convey the property, such as recording the deed or executing a new one, the ownership typically remains with her until her death. In many jurisdictions, including Maine, when an individual passes away, the ownership of their property is passed down to their legal heirs, which would most commonly include immediate family members unless otherwise stipulated in a will. Therefore, Dolly's heirs will inherit the farm after her death because she is considered the legal owner until she conveys it to someone else or until her death. The other options are less likely because Carson would only inherit the farm if Dolly had executed and delivered the deed to him, effectively transferring ownership during her lifetime. If the farm were to become abandoned with no heirs or claimants, it could potentially revert to the state, but this would only apply if there was no clear ownership or if Dolly had taken steps to abandon the property. Carson's heirs would only inherit if Carson had prior ownership rights transferred to him, which isn't established from the information provided. Therefore, Dolly's legal heirs are the rightful beneficiaries