Who can hold property in a tenancy by the entirety?

In Rhode Island, tenancy by the entirety is a form of joint property ownership that is specifically designed for married couples. This legal arrangement provides unique benefits, particularly in terms of asset protection. When property is held in tenancy by the entirety, neither spouse can independently sell or transfer their interest in the property without the consent of the other spouse, which helps preserve the property's ownership within the marriage.

This arrangement also provides additional protections from creditors; if one spouse incurs debt, the property cannot be seized to satisfy that debt, as it is jointly owned. The underlying concept is that marriage creates a legal unity that extends to property ownership, making it distinct from other forms of ownership such as joint tenancy or tenancy in common, which can include various types of co-owners, such as business partners or friends.

Thus, only a husband and wife can hold property in this manner, establishing the exclusivity of this form of ownership strictly for married couples.