Trust (law)

Last updated

In law, a trust refers to a relationship in which the owner of property (or any other transferable right) gives it to a designated entity, usually described as a trustee. The trustee has a duty to safeguard and use the assets of the trust solely for the benefit of another person or group of persons until distribution, pursuant to the provisions of the trust. In the English common law tradition, the party who entrusts the property is known as the "settlor", the party to whom the property is entrusted is known as the "trustee", the party for whose benefit the property is entrusted is known as the "beneficiary", and the entrusted property itself is known as the "corpus" or "trust property". [1] [2] A testamentary trust is an irrevocable trust that is established and funded pursuant to the terms of a deceased person's will. An inter vivos trust is a revocable trust, created during the settlor's lifetime.

Contents

The trustee is the legal owner of the assets held in trust on behalf of the trust and its beneficiaries. The beneficiaries of a trust are equitable owners of the trust property. Trustees have a fiduciary duty to manage the trust for the benefit of the equitable owners. Trustees must provide regular accountings of trust income and expenditures. Trustees may be compensated for their services.Trustees may be compensated and be reimbursed for their expenses. A court of competent jurisdiction can remove a trustee who breaches their fiduciary duty. Some breaches of fiduciary duty can be charged and tried as criminal offenses in a court of law. A trustee can be a natural person, a business entity or a public body. A trust in the United States may be subject to federal and state taxation.

A trust is created by a settlor, who transfers title to some or all of their property to a trustee, who then holds title to that property in trust for the benefit of the beneficiaries. [3] The trust is governed by the terms under which it was created. In most jurisdictions, this requires a contractual trust agreement or deed. It is possible for a single individual to assume the role of more than one of these parties, and for multiple individuals to share a single role. For example, in a living trust it is common for the grantor to be both a trustee and a lifetime beneficiary while naming other contingent beneficiaries. [4]

Trusts have existed since Roman times and have become one of the most important innovations in property law. [5] Trust law has evolved through court rulings differently in different jurisdictions, so statements in this article are generalizations; understanding the jurisdiction-specific case law involved is tricky. Some U.S. states are adapting the Uniform Trust Code to codify and harmonize their trust laws, but state-specific variations still remain.

An owner placing property into trust turns over part of their bundle of rights to the trustee, separating the property's legal ownership and control from its equitable ownership and benefits. This may be done for tax reasons or to control the property and its benefits if the settlor is absent, incapacitated, or deceased. Testamentary trusts may be created in wills, defining how money and property will be handled for children or other beneficiaries.

While the trustee is given legal title to the trust property, in accepting title the trustee owes a number of fiduciary duties to the beneficiaries. The primary duties owed are those of loyalty, prudence and impartiality. [6] Trustees may be held to a very high standard of care in their dealings to enforce their behavior. To ensure beneficiaries receive their due, trustees are subject to a number of ancillary duties in support of the primary duties, including duties of openness and transparency, and duties of recordkeeping, accounting, and disclosure. In addition, a trustee has a duty to know, understand, and abide by the terms of the trust and relevant law. The trustee may be compensated and have expenses reimbursed, but otherwise must turn over all profits from the trust properties and neither endebt nor riskily speculate on the trust assets without the written, clear permission of all of the adult beneficiaries.

There are strong restrictions regarding a trustee with a conflict of interest. Courts can reverse a trustee's actions, order profits returned, and impose other sanctions if they find a trustee has failed in any of their duties. Such a failure is a civil breach of trust and can leave a neglectful or dishonest trustee with severe liabilities for the breach. It is highly advisable for settlors and in many cases trustees to seek legal advice before entering into or creating a trust agreement and trustees must take great care in acting or omitting to act to avoid unlawful mistakes.

History

English common law

Roman law had a well-developed concept of the trust ( fideicommissum ) in terms of "testamentary trusts" created by wills but never developed the concept of the inter vivos (living) trusts which apply while the creator lives. This was created by later common law jurisdictions. Personal trust law developed in England at the time of the Crusades, during the 12th and 13th centuries. In medieval English trust law, the settlor was known as the feoffor to uses, while the trustee was known as the feoffee to uses, and the beneficiary was known as the cestui que use, or cestui que trust .

At the time, land ownership in England was based on the feudal system. When a landowner left England to fight in the Crusades, he conveyed ownership of his lands in his absence to manage the estate and pay and receive feudal dues, on the understanding that the ownership would be conveyed back on his return. However, Crusaders often encountered refusal to hand over the property upon their return. Unfortunately for the Crusader, English common law did not recognize his claim. As far as the King's courts were concerned, the land belonged to the trustee, who was under no obligation to return it. The Crusader had no legal claim. The disgruntled Crusader would then petition the king, who would refer the matter to his Lord Chancellor. The Lord Chancellor could decide a case according to his conscience. At this time, the principle of equity was born in English law. However, the original notion of equity goes all the way back to Aristotle and is found in book V, chapter 10 of his Ethics. Indeed, the universities of the 13th century often wrote commentaries on Aristotle's works, and it was these universities that gave rise to the lawyers of the time.

The Lord Chancellor would consider it "unconscionable" that the legal owner could go back on his word and deny the claims of the Crusader (the "true" owner). Therefore, he would find in favour of the returning Crusader. Over time, it became known that the Lord Chancellor's court (the Court of Chancery) would continually recognize the claim of a returning Crusader. The legal owner would hold the land for the benefit of the original owner and would be compelled to convey it back to him when requested. The Crusader was the "beneficiary" and the acquaintance the "trustee". The term "use of land" was coined, and in time developed into what we now know as a trust.

Significance

The trust is widely considered to be the most innovative contribution of the English legal system. [7] [ verification needed ] Today, trusts play a significant role in most common law systems, and their success has led some civil law jurisdictions to incorporate trusts into their civil codes. In Curaçao, for example, the trust was enacted into law on 1 January 2012; however, the Curaçao Civil Code only allows express trusts constituted by notarial instrument. [8] France has recently added a similar, Roman-law-based device to its own law with the fiducie, [9] amended in 2009; [10] the fiducie, unlike a trust, is a contractual relationship. Trusts are widely used internationally, especially in countries within the English law sphere of influence, and whilst most civil law jurisdictions do not generally contain the concept of a trust within their legal systems, they do recognise the concept under the Hague Convention on the Law Applicable to Trusts and on their Recognition (partly only the extent that they are parties thereto). The Hague Convention also regulates conflict of trusts.

Although trusts are often associated with intrafamily wealth transfers, they have become very important in American capital markets, particularly through pension funds (in certain countries essentially always trusts) and mutual funds (often trusts). [11]

Basic principles

Property of any sort may be held in a trust. The uses of trusts are many and varied, for both personal and commercial reasons, and trusts may provide benefits in estate planning, asset protection, and taxes. Living trusts may be created during a person's life (through the drafting of a trust instrument) or after death in a will.

In a relevant sense, a trust can be viewed as a generic form of a corporation where the settlors (investors) are also the beneficiaries. This is particularly evident in the Delaware business trust, which could theoretically, with the language in the "governing instrument", be organized as a cooperative corporation or a limited liability corporation, [11] :475–6 although traditionally the Massachusetts business trust has been commonly used in the US. One of the most significant aspects of trusts is the ability to partition and shield assets from the trustee, multiple beneficiaries, and their respective creditors (particularly the trustee's creditors), making it "bankruptcy remote", and leading to its use in pensions, mutual funds, and asset securitization [11] as well protection of individual spendthrifts through the spendthrift trust.

Terminology

Chart of a trust Chart of a trust.jpg
Chart of a trust
The trustee's right to do this, where it exists, is called a power of appointment. Sometimes, a power of appointment is given to someone other than the trustee, such as the settlor, the protector, or a beneficiary.

Creation

Trusts may be created by the expressed intentions of the settlor also known as the founder (express trusts) [12] or they may be created by operation of law known as implied trusts. An implied trust is one created by a court of equity because of acts or situations of the parties. Implied trusts are divided into two categories: resulting and constructive. A resulting trust is implied by the law to work out the presumed intentions of the parties, but it does not take into consideration their expressed intent. A constructive trust [13] is a trust implied by law to work out justice between the parties, regardless of their intentions.

Common ways in which a trust is created include:

  1. a written trust instrument created by the settlor and signed by both the settlor and the trustees (often referred to as an inter vivos or living trust);
  2. an oral declaration or promise; [14]
  3. the will of a decedent, usually called a testamentary trust; or
  4. a court order (for example in family proceedings).

In some jurisdictions, certain types of assets may not be the subject of a trust without a written document. [15]

Formalities

The formalities required of a trust depend on the type of trust in question.

Generally, a private express trust requires three elements to be certain, which together are known as the "three certainties". These elements were determined in Knight v Knight to be intention, subject matter and objects. [16] The certainty of intention allows the court to ascertain a settlor's true reason for creating the trust. The certainties of subject matter and objects allow the court to administer trust when the trustees fail to do so. [17] The court determines whether there is sufficient certainty by construing the words used in the trust instrument. These words are construed objectively in their "reasonable meaning", [18] within the context of the entire instrument. [16] Despite intention being integral to express trusts, the court will try not to let trusts fail for the lack of certainty. [19]

  1. Intention. A mere expression of hope that a trust be created does not constitute the intent to create a trust. Conversely, the use of terms of art such as the word "trust" does not of itself establish whether an instrument is an express trust. [16] Disputes in this area mainly concerns differentiating gifts from trusts.
  2. Subject Matter. The property subject to the trust must be clearly identified (Palmer v Simmonds). One may not, for example state, settle "the majority of my estate", as the precise extent cannot be ascertained. Trust property may be any form of specific property, be it real or personal, tangible or intangible. It is often, for example, real estate, shares or cash.
  3. Objects. The beneficiaries of the trust must be clearly identified, [17] or at least be ascertainable (Re Hain's Settlement). In the case of discretionary trusts, where the trustees have power to decide who the beneficiaries will be, the settlor must have described a clear class of beneficiaries ( McPhail v Doulton ). Beneficiaries may include people not born at the date of the trust (for example, "my future grandchildren"). Alternatively, the object of a trust could be a charitable purpose rather than specific beneficiaries.

Trustees

A trust may have multiple trustees, and these trustees are the legal owners of the trust's property, but have a fiduciary duty to beneficiaries and various duties, such as a duty of care and a duty to inform. [20] If trustees do not adhere to these duties, they may be removed through a legal action. The trustee may be either a person or a legal entity such as a company, but typically the trust itself is not a legal entity and any litigation involving the trust must include the trustee as a party. [21] A trustee has many rights and responsibilities which vary based on the jurisdiction and trust instrument. If a trust lacks a trustee, a court may appoint a trustee.

The trustees administer the affairs attendant to the trust. The trust's affairs may include prudently investing the assets of the trust, accounting for and reporting periodically to the beneficiaries, filing required tax returns and other duties. In some cases dependent upon the trust instrument, the trustees must make discretionary decisions as to whether beneficiaries should receive trust assets for their benefit. A trustee may be held personally liable for problems, although fiduciary liability insurance similar to directors and officers liability insurance can be purchased. For example, a trustee could be liable if assets are not properly invested. In addition, a trustee may be liable to its beneficiaries even where the trust has made a profit but consent has not been given. [22] However, in the United States, similar to directors and officers, an exculpatory clause may minimize liability; although this was previously held to be against public policy, this position has changed. [23]

In the United States, the Uniform Trust Code provides for reasonable compensation and reimbursement for trustees subject to review by courts, [24] although trustees may be unpaid. Commercial banks acting as trustees typically charge about 1% of assets under management. [25]

Beneficiaries

The beneficiaries are beneficial (or 'equitable') owners of the trust property. Either immediately or eventually, the beneficiaries will receive income from the trust property, or they will receive the property itself. The extent of a beneficiary's interest depends on the wording of the trust document. One beneficiary may be entitled to income (for example, interest from a bank account), whereas another may be entitled to the entirety of the trust property when they attain the age of twenty-five years. The settlor has much discretion when creating the trust, subject to some limitations imposed by law.

The use of trusts as a means to inherit substantial wealth may be associated with some negative connotations; some beneficiaries who are able to live comfortably from trust proceeds without having to work a job may be jokingly referred to as "trust fund babies" (regardless of age) or "trustafarians". [26]

Purposes

Common purposes for trusts include:

Types

Trusts go by many different names, depending on the characteristics or the purpose of the trust. Because trusts often have multiple characteristics or purposes, a single trust might accurately be described in several ways. For example, a living trust is often an express trust, which is also a revocable trust, and might include an incentive trust, and so forth.

Alphabetic list of trust types

Country specific variations

While trusts originated in England, and therefore English trusts law has had a significant influence, particularly among common law legal systems such as those of the Commonwealth or the United States, the impact of trust law has been wide and varied. Even under common law systems, the basic notion of a trust has been implemented in strikingly different ways.

Trust law in civil law jurisdictions, generally including Continental Europe only exists in a limited number of jurisdictions (e.g. Curaçao, Liechtenstein and Sint Maarten). The trust may however be recognized as an instrument of foreign law in conflict of laws cases, for example within the Brussels regime (Europe) and the parties to the Hague Trust Convention. Tax avoidance concerns have historically been one of the reasons that European countries with a civil law system have been reluctant to adopt trusts. [11]

Cyprus

Cyprus legislators enacted the Cyprus International Trusts Law of 2012 with an aim to facilitate the establishment of trusts by non-Cypriot residents. The Cyprus International Trust is based on common law principles however the Cyprus International Trusts Law of 2012 introduces certain conditions and requirements to for the trust to qualify under the same law. These conditions are:

In addition to above the common law principles of certainty must be present. [40]

Settlor Powers provided by law

The Cyprus International Trust Law of 2012 also introduces certain settlor powers which if exercised will not invalidate the trust and or do not need to be inserted in the trust deed for the settlor to exercise them. [40] The powers introduced are:

  • to revoke or amend the terms of a trust or any trusts or powers arising wholly or partly under it
  • to advance, distribute, pay or otherwise apply income or capital of the trust property or to give directions for the making of such advancement, distribution, payment or application
  • to exercise the powers of a director or officer or issue binding directions as to the appointment or removal of a director or officer of any company, wholly or partly owned by the trust;
  • to give binding directions to the trustee in connection with the purchase, retention, sale, management, lending, pledging or charging of the trust property or the exercise of any powers or rights arising from such property;
  • to appoint or remove any trustee, enforcer, protector or beneficiary;
  • to appoint or remove any investment manager or investment adviser;
  • to change the applicable law governing the trust or the forum for the administration of the trust;
  • to restrict the exercise of any power or discretion of a trustee by requiring that they are only exercisable with the consent of the settlor or any other person expressly specified in the terms governing the trust.

Duration of Cyprus International Trust

Cyprus does not limit the duration of an international trust and it may be formed for an unspecified duration. [40]

Charitable Trust and Purpose Trust

In accordance with Section 7, a Cyprus International Trust may be formed for one or more of the following purposes:

  • the prevention or relief of poverty
  • the advancement of education
  • the advancement of religion
  • the advancement of health or the saving of lives
  • the advancement of citizenship or community development
  • the advancement of the arts, culture, heritage or science
  • the advancement of amateur sport
  • the advancement of human rights, conflict resolution or reconciliation or the promotion of religious or racial harmony or equality and diversity
  • the advancement of environmental protection or improvement
  • the relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantages
  • the advancement of animal welfare and protection of animals;
  • any other purpose beneficial to the public in general or which may reasonably be considered to be relevant to any of above

Confidentiality of Cyprus International Trust

The law includes specific confidentiality obligations over the trustee, the protector, enforcer or any other person to keep information and details of the trust confidential. This right is waived in the instances that law requires the disclosure of such information or if a judge before which a case is tried in issues a judgment to such effect. Nevertheless, with the changing times, public disclosure of trusts is required in Cyprus. [41] Such public disclosures are required:

Stamp Duty Commissioner for validating the creation of the Cyprus International Trust [41]

For a trust to be validly constituted it must be presented to the commissioner of stamp duty and a one-time payment of Euro 430 is made. The commissioner does not keep a copy of the document.

Regulatory Disclosure of ASPs managing a Cyprus International Trust [41]

The regulation of the industry providing company and trust management functions (ASP) has also brought about the requirement to disclose to the regulator the existence of a Cyprus International Trust. Such obligation burdens the trust company and the information disclosed is the following:

  • The date the trust was created
  • The name of the trust
  • The name and particulars of the trustee
  • The governing law of the trust

For the avoidance of any doubt, the regulator does not require particulars of the Settlor, the Beneficiaries and details of the trusts. Neither does the regulator store in any way the trust deed. On the contrary, they rely on the regulated entity to collect, store and update this information

Cyprus Beneficial Owner Register and Cyprus International Trust [41]

The Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law of 2007-2018 [42] introduced mandatory disclosure requirements in respects to trusts. Generally known as the Cyprus Beneficial Ownership Register. [43] Subject to this the following information will be required to be mandatory disclosed:

  • The settlor
  • The trustee
  • The protector
  • The beneficiary or the class of beneficiaries if they have not been identified yet
  • Any other person exercising control over the trust

The actual implementation of this law still remains to be seen however the requirements above are expressly extracted from The Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law of 2007–2018.

FATCA [41]

Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) a Trustee and or a Trust may be classified as a Foreign Financial Institution (FFI) requiring registration with the IRS and disclosure of results on a yearly basis.

CRS [41]

Under the Common Reporting Standard decree, a trust would in most cases classify as either a Reporting Financial Institution (FI) or a Passive Non-Financial Entity (Passive NFE). If the trust is an FI the trust or the trustee will have an obligation to report to its local tax authority in Cyprus in respects to the reportable accounts.

Taxation of Cyprus International Trust [40]

The income and profits derived within and outside of Cyprus are liable to every possible taxation imposed in Cyprus if the beneficiary is a resident of Cyprus in accordance with the Income Tax Laws of Cyprus.

If the beneficiaries are not Cyprus residents then any income and profit derived from Cypriot sources will be subject to tax.

Relevant to consider is what income is subject to taxation in Cyprus and the none domicile regime applicable in Cyprus.

England and Wales

History

As noted above, the English trust arose from the court of the Lord Chancellor, known as the Court of Chancery.

There are several features which distinguish the modern English trust both from other common law trusts and from civil law approaches.

Purpose trusts and the requirement for a beneficiary

In some ways, the modern English trust is, when compared to other jurisdictions, more conservative in its requirements. For example, it retains the requirement that there be a beneficiary. [44] There are two main exceptions to this rule: charitable purpose trusts and Re Denley trusts. [45] This contrasts with other jurisdictions like Cyprus, the BVI, the Cayman Islands, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Gibraltar [46] which allow for non-charitable purpose trusts to be valid. This will normally be done by appointing a somebody to act as the trust's Protector. These purpose trusts allow for a trust to be created with a purpose (eg. 'to provide for N's education', where N is a family member) instead of a named beneficiary. The role of the Protector (also sometimes called an enforcer) is to hold the trustees to account, which the beneficiaries would usually have the right to do.

Unincorporated Associations

A major use of trusts is to allow for the existence of unincorporated associations. These often are associations or groups of people that come together for a particular (usually non-commercial purpose). Common examples might be local social and sports clubs, some gentlemen's clubs, and some professional associations.

The main way that English law supports the existence of these is by understanding them as a form of trust. The association has no legal personality (ie the capacity to enter into legal relations in their own name). This contrasts with the approach taken in many civil law jurisdictions, like Spain [47] or France, [48] where civil or social associations are often accorded legal personhood. Thus, in England, the officers of an association (eg. its Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer) will be recognised as trustees and will hold the assets of the association on trust for the members of the association with the constitution of the association forming the basis of the rules governing the trust. [49] [50]

South Africa

In many ways trusts in South Africa operate similarly to other common law countries, although the law of South Africa is actually a hybrid of the British common law system and Roman-Dutch law.

In South Africa, in addition to the traditional living trusts and will trusts there is a "bewind trust" (inherited from the Roman-Dutch bewind administered by a bewindhebber) [51] in which the beneficiaries own the trust assets while the trustee administers the trust, although this is regarded by modern Dutch law as not actually a trust. [52] Bewind trusts are created as trading vehicles providing trustees with limited liability and certain tax advantages. [53]

In South Africa, minor children cannot inherit assets and in the absence of a trust and assets held in a state institution, the Guardian's Fund, and released to the children in adulthood. Therefore, testamentary (will) trusts often leave assets in a trust for the benefit of these minor children.

There are two types of living trusts in South Africa, namely vested trusts and discretionary trusts. In vested trusts, the benefits of the beneficiaries are set out in the trust deed, whereas in discretionary trusts the trustees have full discretion at all times as to how much and when each beneficiary is to benefit.

Asset protection

Until recently, there were tax advantages to living trusts in South Africa, although most of these advantages have been removed. Protection of assets from creditors is a modern advantage. With notable exceptions, assets held by the trust are not owned by the trustees or the beneficiaries, the creditors of trustees or beneficiaries can have no claim against the trust. Under the Insolvency Act (Act 24 of 1936), assets transferred into a living trust remain at risk from external creditors for 6 months if the previous owner of the assets is solvent at the time of transfer, or 24 months if he/she is insolvent at the time of transfer. After 24 months, creditors have no claim against assets in the trust, although they can attempt to attach the loan account, thereby forcing the trust to sell its assets. Assets can be transferred into the living trust by selling it to the trust (through a loan granted to the trust) or donating cash to it (any natural person can donate R100 000 per year without attracting donations tax; 20% donations tax applies to further donations within the same tax year).

Tax considerations

Under South African law living trusts are considered tax payers. Two types of tax apply to living trusts, namely income tax and capital gains tax (CGT). A trust pays income tax at a flat rate of 40% (individuals pay according to income scales, usually less than 20%). The trust's income can, however, be taxed in the hands of either the trust or the beneficiary. A trust pays CGT at the rate of 20% (individuals pay 10%). Trusts do not pay deceased estate tax (although trusts may be required to pay back outstanding loans to a deceased estate, in which the loan amounts are taxable with deceased estate tax). [54]

The taxpayer whose residence has been 'locked' into a trust has now been given another opportunity to take advantage of these CGT exemptions. The Taxation Law Amendment Act of 30 September 2009 commenced on 1 January 2010 and granted a 2-year window period from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2011, affording a natural person the opportunity to take transfer of the residence with advantage of no transfer duty being payable or CGT consequences. Whilst taxpayers can take advantage of this opening of a window of opportunity, it is not likely that it will ever become available thereafter. [55]

United States

In the United States, a trust is presumed to be irrevocable unless the instrument or will creating it states it is revocable, except in Pennsylvania, California, Oklahoma and Texas (and any other state that has adopted section 602 of the Uniform Trust Code), in which trusts are presumed to be revocable unless the instrument or will creating them states they are irrevocable.

In the United States, state law, variable from state to state, governs trusts. Many states have adopted the Uniform Trust Code, and there are also broad similarities among states' common law of trust. These similarities are summarized in the Restatements of the Law, such as the Restatement of Trusts, Third (2003−08). Additionally, as a practical matter, federal law considerations such as federal taxes administered by the Internal Revenue Service may affect the structure and creation of trusts.

In the United States the tax law allows trusts to be taxed as corporations, partnerships, or not at all depending on the circumstances, although trusts may be used for tax avoidance in certain situations. [11] :478 For example, the trust-preferred security is a hybrid (debt and equity) security with favorable tax treatment which is treated as regulatory capital on banks' balance sheets. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act changed this somewhat by not allowing these assets to be a part of (large) banks' regulatory capital. [56] :23

Estate planning

Living trusts, as opposed to testamentary (will) trusts, may help a trustor avoid probate. [57] Avoiding probate may save costs and maintain privacy and living trusts have become very popular. [58] Probate is potentially costly, and probate records are available to the public while distribution through a trust is private. Both living trusts and wills can also be used to plan for unforeseen circumstances such as incapacity or disability, by giving discretionary powers to the trustee or executor of the will.

Negative aspects of using a living trust as opposed to a will and probate include upfront legal expenses, the expense of trust administration, and a lack of certain safeguards. The cost of the trust may be 1% of the estate per year versus the one-time probate cost of 1 to 4% for probate, which applies whether or not there is a drafted will. Unlike trusts, wills must be signed by two to three witnesses, the number depending on the law of the jurisdiction in which the will is executed. Legal protections that apply to probate but do not automatically apply to trusts include provisions that protect the decedent's assets from mismanagement or embezzlement, such as requirements of bonding, insurance, and itemized accountings of probate assets.

Estate tax effect

Living trusts generally do not shelter assets from the U.S. federal estate tax. Married couples may, however, effectively double the estate tax exemption amount by setting up the trust with a formula clause. [59]

For a living trust, the grantor may retain some level of control to the trust, such by appointment as protector under the trust instrument. Living trusts also, in practical terms, tend to be driven to large extent by tax considerations. If a living trust fails, the property will usually be held for the grantor/settlor on resulting trusts, which in some notable cases, has had high tax consequences.[ citation needed ]

See also

Jurisdiction specific

Notes

  1. "Trust". BusinessDictionary. WebFinance, Inc. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  2. Restatement (Third) of the Law of Trusts § 1.
  3. "Section 2". Restatement of Trusts (Third ed.). St. Paul, Minn.: American Law Institute. 1992. p. 17. ISBN   9780314842466. OCLC   25422858.
  4. Ausness, Richard C. (2019). "A Mere Expectancy: What Rights Do Beneficiaries of a Revocable Trust Have Prior to the Death of the Settlor". Quinnipiac Probate Law Journal. 32 (4): 377.
  5. Scott, Austin. "Importance of the Trust". University of Colorado Law Review. U. Colo. L. Rev. 39: 177. doi:10.2307/1598930. JSTOR   1598930. Archived from the original on 5 May 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2014. The greatest and most distinctive achievement performed by Englishmen in the field of jurisprudence is the development from century to century of the trust idea.
  6. "Chapter 15". Restatment of Trusts (Third ed.). St. Paul, Minn.: American Law Institute. 1992. p. 67. ISBN   9780314842466. OCLC   25422858.
  7. Goode, Roy M. (2 January 1996). Commercial Law (2nd ed.). London, U.K.: Penguin UK. ISBN   0140125345.
  8. M. Bergervoet and D.S. Mansur (14 April 2012). "De Curaçaose trust in de partijk" (PDF). Weekblad voor Privaatrecht, Notariaat en Registratie (in Dutch). Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 October 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  9. "Loi n°2007-211 du 19 février 2007 instituant la fiducie". Legifrance.gouv.fr, le service public de la diffusion du droit. 1 February 2009. Archived from the original on 9 March 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  10. "Ordonnance n°2009-79 du 22 janvier 2009 (consolidated version)". Legifrance.gouv.fr, le service public de la diffusion du droit. 1 February 2009. Archived from the original on 9 March 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Hansmann, Henry; Mattei, Ugo (May 1998). "The Functions of Trust Law: A Comparative Legal and Economic Analysis" (PDF). New York University Law Review. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  12. "Database Access – UNSW Library".
  13. "Bahr v Nicolay (No 2) [1988] HCA 16; (1988) 164 CLR 604 (15 June 1988)". Archived from the original on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  14. See for example T Choithram International SA and others v Pagarani and others [2001] 2 All ER 492
  15. For example, in England, trusts over land must be evidenced in writing under s.56 of the Law of Property Act 1925
  16. 1 2 3 Glister, James; Lee, James (2015). "Certainty and Capacity". Hanbury and Martin: Modern Equity (20 ed.). Sweet & Maxwell. ISBN   9780414032408.
  17. 1 2 McPhail v Doulton ,[1970]UKHL 1.
  18. Re Gulbenkian's Settlements Trusts ,[1968]UKHL 5.
  19. Re Hay's Settlement Trusts,[1981] 3All ER 786.
  20. Edward Jones Trust Company. Fundamental Duties of a Trustee: A Guide for Trustees in a post-Uniform Trust Code World Archived 23 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine .
  21. Moffat, Graham (2005). Trusts Law: Text and Materials (4th ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 18. ISBN   9781139445283. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  22. "Boardman v Phipps [1966] UKHL 2" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  23. Last Beneficiary Standing: Identifying the Proper Parties in Breach of Fiduciary Cases Archived 1 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine . American Bar Association, Section of Real Property, Trust, & Estate Law. 20th Annual Real Property & Estate Planning Symposia.
  24. Trust Code Summary Archived 30 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine . Uniform Law Commission.
  25. Schanzenbach MM, Sitkoff RF. (2007). Did Reform of Prudent Trust Investment Laws Change Trust Portfolio Allocation?. Harvard Law School John M. Olin Center for Law, Economics and Business Discussion Paper Series. Paper 580.
  26. Martinez, Michael J. (2007). Vault Career Guide to Private Wealth Management. New York, New York: Vault, Inc. p. 18. ISBN   9781581314489. OCLC   86069641. Archived from the original on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  27. Autumn Statement 2012 (PDF). HM Treasury. 2012. p. 43. ISBN   978-0-10-184802-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  28. "spendthrift clause". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  29. Rosenberg, Scott D. (2009–2010). "Frequently Asked Questions". Archived from the original on 11 November 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
  30. Paul BW Chaplin#Biography
  31. Kirsh, Harvey J; Roth, Lori A (31 August 1997). "Construction law: Breach of trust in the construction industry" . International Finance Law Review. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  32. Boyle, Tom (29 April 2015). "Client's Guide to Understanding a Lawyer's Trust Account". Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  33. "Rule 1.5: Fees". American Bar Association. 14 April 2020. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  34. "Charitable Trusts". Internal Revenue Service. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  35. Indian Public Administration: Institutions and Issues. New Age International. 1995. pp. 271–272. ISBN   978-81-7328-068-9 . Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  36. Julius B. Levine & Randall L. Holton, Enforcement of Secret and Semi-Secret Trusts, 5 Prob. L.J. 7, 16 (1983)
  37. "Bare trusts". HM Revenue & Customs. Archived from the original on 9 October 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  38. "Statutory Trust Entity Act (2009) (Last Amended 2013)". www.uniformlaws.org. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  39. Kam Fan Sin, The Legal Nature of the Unit Trust, Clarendon Press, 1998.
  40. 1 2 3 4 HSharpe (18 August 2019). "Overview of Cyprus International Trust". The Cyprus Lawyer. Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  41. 1 2 3 4 5 6 HSharpe (18 August 2019). "Public disclosure of Cyprus International Trust". The Cyprus Lawyer. Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  42. "The Prevention and Suppression of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law of 2007-2018". CySEC. 20 August 2019. Archived from the original on 20 August 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  43. HSharpe (18 July 2019). "Cyprus Beneficial Ownership Register". The Cyprus Lawyer. Archived from the original on 4 August 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  44. Re Astor's Settlement Trusts , [1952] Ch 534
  45. [1969] 1 Ch 373
  46. Virgo, Graham (2020). The Principles of Equity & Trusts (4th ed.). Oxford: OUP. p. 208. ISBN   978-0-19-885415-9.
  47. "Código de Asociaciones" [Code for Associations]. BOE (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 25 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  48. "Déclaration initiale d'une association" [Initial declaration of an association]. Service-Public.fr (in French). 25 May 2021. Archived from the original on 25 September 2022. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  49. Virgo, Graham (2020). The Principles of Equity & Trusts (4th ed.). Oxford: OUP. pp. 211–15. ISBN   978-0-19-885415-9.
  50. Re Lipinski's Will Trusts , [1976] Ch 235
  51. Trust Overview Archived 16 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine . Moore Stephens Chartered Accountants.
  52. Oakley JA. (1996). Trends in Contemporary Trust Law, p. 108 Archived 30 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine .
  53. "Types of Trust | South African Revenue Service". 12 February 2021. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  54. E-book: Trusts for Business Owners, by Peter Carruthers and Robert Velosa.
  55. Miller, Winston E. (18 December 2009). "Dump That Trust Through The Window: Family Trust Tax Window". Winston Miller Attorneys. Archived from the original on 3 June 2010. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  56. "The Dodd–Frank Act: Commentary and Insights" (PDF). Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 April 2012.
  57. Caraway, David (April 2015). "Testamentary Trusts". New York City Bar. Archived from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  58. American Bar Association. Ch.5 Living Trusts Archived 16 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine . Appears to be online copy of: The American Bar Association guide to wills and estates (1995). See also Ch. 4, Trusts Archived 16 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine .
  59. The formula clause may be: "I leave to my child the maximum allowable amount that is not subject to federal estate tax, with the remainder going to my wife." As of 2013, transfers to spouses are exempt from estate tax. See: After The Fiscal Cliff Deal: Estate And Gift Tax Explained Archived 26 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine . Forbes.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charitable trust</span> Irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes

A charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes. In some jurisdictions, it is a more specific term than "charitable organization". A charitable trust enjoys varying degrees of tax benefits in most countries and also generates goodwill. Some important terminology in charitable trusts includes the term "corpus", referring to the assets with which the trust is funded, and the term "donor," which is the person donating assets to a charity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trustee</span> Person holding a position of trust to a beneficiary

Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, is a synonym for anyone in a position of trust and so can refer to any individual who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another. A trustee can also be a person who is allowed to do certain tasks but not able to gain income. Although in the strictest sense of the term a trustee is the holder of property on behalf of a beneficiary, the more expansive sense encompasses persons who serve, for example, on the board of trustees of an institution that operates for a charity, for the benefit of the general public, or a person in the local government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiduciary</span> Person who holds a legal or ethical relationship of trust

A fiduciary is a person who holds a legal or ethical relationship of trust with one or more other parties. Typically, a fiduciary prudently takes care of money or other assets for another person. One party, for example, a corporate trust company or the trust department of a bank, acts in a fiduciary capacity to another party, who, for example, has entrusted funds to the fiduciary for safekeeping or investment. Likewise, financial advisers, financial planners, and asset managers, including managers of pension plans, endowments, and other tax-exempt assets, are considered fiduciaries under applicable statutes and laws. In a fiduciary relationship, one person, in a position of vulnerability, justifiably vests confidence, good faith, reliance, and trust in another whose aid, advice, or protection is sought in some matter. In such a relation, good conscience requires the fiduciary to act at all times for the sole benefit and interest of the one who trusts.

A fiduciary is someone who has undertaken to act for and on behalf of another in a particular matter in circumstances which give rise to a relationship of trust and confidence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Probate</span> Proving of a will

In common law jurisdictions, probate is the judicial process whereby a will is "proved" in a court of law and accepted as a valid public document that is the true last testament of the deceased, or whereby the estate is settled according to the laws of intestacy in the state of residence of the deceased at time of death in the absence of a legal will.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estate planning</span> Process of planning for inheritance of property

Estate planning is the process of anticipating and arranging for the management and disposal of a person's estate during the person's life in preparation for a person's future incapacity or death. The planning includes the bequest of assets to heirs, loved ones, and/or charity, and may include minimizing gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes. Estate planning includes planning for incapacity, reducing or eliminating uncertainties over the administration of a probate, and maximizing the value of the estate by reducing taxes and other expenses. The ultimate goal of estate planning can only be determined by the specific goals of the estate owner, and may be as simple or complex as the owner's wishes and needs directs. Guardians are often designated for minor children and beneficiaries with incapacity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disclaimer of interest</span> Legal concept

In the law of inheritance, wills and trusts, a disclaimer of interest is an attempt by a person to renounce their legal right to benefit from an inheritance or through a trust. "If a trustee disclaims an interest in property that otherwise would have become trust property, the interest does not become trust property."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asset-protection trust</span> Trust which allows the beneficiary access to assets without legally owning them

In trust law, an asset-protection trust is any form of trust which provides for funds to be held on a discretionary basis. Such trusts are set up in an attempt to avoid or mitigate the effects of taxation, divorce and bankruptcy on the beneficiary. Such trusts are therefore frequently proscribed or limited in their effects by governments and the courts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Express trust</span> Trust which is explicitly created and not inferred from the parties conduct

In trust law, an express trust is a trust created "in express terms, and usually in writing, as distinguished from one inferred by the law from the conduct or dealings of the parties." Property is transferred by a person to a transferee, who holds the property for the benefit of one or more persons, called beneficiaries. The trustee may distribute the property, or the income from that property, to the beneficiaries. Express trusts are frequently used in common law jurisdictions as methods of wealth preservation or enhancement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Law of Bermuda</span>

The law of Bermuda is based on the common law legal system of England and Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hague Trust Convention</span> 1985 treaty on international trust law

The Hague Convention on the Law Applicable to Trusts and on their Recognition, or Hague Trust Convention is a multilateral treaty developed by the Hague Conference on Private International Law on the Law Applicable to Trusts. It concluded on 1 July 1985, entered into force 1 January 1992, and is as of September 2017 ratified by 14 countries. The Convention uses a harmonised definition of a trust, which is the subject of the convention, and sets conflict rules for resolving problems in the choice of the applicable law. The key provisions of the Convention are:

An offshore trust is a conventional trust that is formed under the laws of an offshore jurisdiction.

In trust law, a settlor is a person who settles their property for the benefit of the beneficiary. In some legal systems, a settlor is also referred to as a trustor, or occasionally, a grantor or donor. Where the trust is a testamentary trust, the settlor is usually referred to as the testator. The settlor may also be the trustee of the trust or a third party may be the trustee. In the common law of England and Wales, it has been held, controversially, that where a trustee declares an intention to transfer trust property to a trust of which he is one of several trustees, that is a valid settlement notwithstanding the property is not vested in the other trustees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Testamentary trust</span> Trust created by a will

A testamentary trust is a trust which arises upon the death of the testator, and which is specified in their will. A will may contain more than one testamentary trust, and may address all or any portion of the estate.

In trust law, a trust instrument is an instrument in writing executed by a settlor used to constitute a trust. Trust instruments are generally only used in relation to an inter vivos trust; testamentary trusts are usually created under a will.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Discretionary trust</span> Trust in which the beneficiaries and their entitlements are not fixed

In the trust law of England, Australia, Canada and other common law jurisdictions, a discretionary trust is a trust where the beneficiaries and/or their entitlements to the trust fund are not fixed, but are determined by the criteria set out in the trust instrument by the settlor. It is sometimes referred to as a family trust in Australia or New Zealand. Where the discretionary trust is a testamentary trust, it is common for the settlor to leave a letter of wishes for the trustees to guide them as to the settlor's wishes in the exercise of their discretion. Letters of wishes are not legally binding documents.

In trust law, a beneficiary, is the person or persons who are entitled to the benefit of any trust arrangement. A beneficiary will normally be a natural person, but it is perfectly possible to have a company as the beneficiary of a trust, and this often happens in sophisticated commercial transaction structures. With the exception of charitable trusts, and some specific anomalous non-charitable purpose trusts, all trusts are required to have ascertainable beneficiaries.

In trust law, a protector is a person appointed under the trust instrument to direct or restrain the trustees in relation to their administration of the trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States trust law</span> Law regulating a wealth-holding legal instrument

United States trust law is the body of law that regulates the legal instrument for holding wealth known as a trust.

Australian trust law is the law of trusts as it is applied in Australia. It is derived from, and largely continues to follow English trust law, as modified by state and federal legislation. A number of unique features of Australian trust law arise from interactions with the Australian systems of company law, family law and taxation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English trust law</span> Creation and protection of asset funds

English trust law concerns the protection of assets, usually when they are held by one party for another's benefit. Trusts were a creation of the English law of property and obligations, and share a subsequent history with countries across the Commonwealth and the United States. Trusts developed when claimants in property disputes were dissatisfied with the common law courts and petitioned the King for a just and equitable result. On the King's behalf, the Lord Chancellor developed a parallel justice system in the Court of Chancery, commonly referred as equity. Historically, trusts have mostly been used where people have left money in a will, or created family settlements, charities, or some types of business venture. After the Judicature Act 1873, England's courts of equity and common law were merged, and equitable principles took precedence. Today, trusts play an important role in financial investment, especially in unit trusts and in pension trusts. Although people are generally free to set the terms of trusts in any way they like, there is a growing body of legislation to protect beneficiaries or regulate the trust relationship, including the Trustee Act 1925, Trustee Investments Act 1961, Recognition of Trusts Act 1987, Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, Trustee Act 2000, Pensions Act 1995, Pensions Act 2004 and Charities Act 2011.

References

Further reading