Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of joint tenancy?

The characteristic that is NOT associated with joint tenancy is individual ownership upon the death of a tenant. In a joint tenancy, when one of the tenants dies, their interest in the property does not go to their heirs or estate. Instead, the remaining joint tenants automatically absorb that interest due to the right of survivorship. This means that the remaining owners continue to hold the property together as joint tenants, with each having an equal share in the entirety of the property.

In contrast, if the property were held in tenancy in common, the deceased tenant's share would pass according to their will or, if there is no will, by the laws of intestate succession. The nature of joint tenancy is centered around the concept of unity—unity of time, title, interest, and possession—along with the right of survivorship, which is a core aspect of its structure. This reinforces why "individual ownership upon death of a tenant" is not a defining trait of joint tenancy.