What happens to a joint tenant's share when they die?

When a joint tenant dies, their share of the property is transferred directly to the surviving joint tenants. This is known as the right of survivorship, a key characteristic of joint tenancy. Under this principle, when one joint tenant passes away, their interest does not form part of their estate and is not subject to probate. Instead, the remaining joint tenants automatically absorb the deceased tenant's share, thereby increasing their individual ownership stakes in the property.

This system allows for a seamless transition of property rights without the delays or complications that can accompany inheritance through a will or estate. The intent behind this mechanism is to ensure that the property remains within the surviving joint tenants’ hands without interruption.

In contrast to this correct answer, the other choices describe processes that do not apply in the context of joint tenancy. For instance, passing the share to the estate, dividing it among the remaining tenants, or having it reside with the state through escheat do not reflect the established rules of joint tenancy where rights transfer completely and directly to the surviving tenants.