Final answer:
A contingent remainderman is a potential heir whose right to inherit depends on the occurrence of a specified event or condition, typically described in a trust or will.
Step-by-step explanation:
A contingent remainderman is an individual who stands to inherit property in the future under a will, trust, or other legal instrument, but whose right to do so is conditioned on the occurrence of a certain event or the satisfaction of a particular condition. They are not named directly but are identified by descriptors, such as "any offspring of..." or "heirs of the deceased." The interest of a contingent remainderman is not guaranteed, as it depends on the specific contingency outlined in the legal document.
For example, if a property is left in a trust and the proceeds are to go to "any descendant of [person X] that reaches the age of 30," the contingent remaindermen would be those descendants of person X who have not yet reached age 30. If none meet the condition within the set period, the contingent interest may lapse, and the property could be distributed according to other terms of the trust.