Which legal concept allows a property owner to pass property rights to heirs?

The correct choice, which allows a property owner to pass property rights to heirs, is title by descent. This legal concept refers specifically to the process by which property ownership is transferred to the heirs of a deceased person according to the laws of descent and distribution. It ensures that when someone dies without a will (intestate), their property is allocated to their relatives according to legal guidelines, typically favoring spouses, children, and closer relatives.

This concept is foundational in estate law, as it clarifies how property is passed down and helps to resolve potential disputes among heirs. In many cases, property can be inherited through title by descent without needing a will, making it a crucial aspect of property rights and inheritance law.

While inheritance refers broadly to the acquisition of property from someone who has died, it does not specify the legal mechanics involved, such as those outlined in title by descent. The other terms listed do not directly pertain to the transfer of property rights to heirs in the same way that title by descent does. For example, transfer of title usually involves the active conveyance of property rights during a person's lifetime, rather than after death. Beneficence pertains to acts of kindness and generosity, not legal property transfer.