Trustee

Trustee

Trustee is a legal term that refers to a holder of property on behalf of a beneficiary. A trust can be set up either to benefit particular persons, or for any charitable purposes (but not generally for non-charitable purposes): typical examples are a will trust for the testator's children and family, a pension trust (to confer benefits on employees and their families), and a charitable trust. In all cases, the trustee may be a person or company, whether or not they are a prospective beneficiary.

General duties of trustees

Trustees have certain duties (some of which are fiduciary). These include the duty to carry out the express terms of the trust instrument, the duty to defend the trust, the duty to prudently invest trust assets, the duty of impartiality among the beneficiaries, the duty to account for their actions and to keep the beneficiaries informed about the trust, the duty of loyalty, the duty not to delegate, the duty not to profit, the duty not to be in a conflict of interest position and the duty to administer the trust in the best interest of the beneficiaries. These duties may be expanded or narrowed by the terms of the instrument creating the trust, but in most instances cannot be eliminated completely.

A trustee carries the fiduciary responsibility and liability to use the trust assets according to the provisions of the trust instrument (and often regardless of their own or the beneficiaries' wishes). The trustee may find himself liable to claimants, prospective beneficiaries, or third parties. In the event that a trustee incurs a liability (for example, in litigation, or for taxes, or under the terms of a lease) in excess of the trust property they hold, they may find themselves personally liable for the excess.

Trustees are generally held to a "prudent person" standard in regard to meeting their fiduciary responsibilities, though investment, legal, and other professionals can be held to a higher standard commensurate with their higher expertise. Trustees can be paid for their time and trouble in performing their duties only if the trust specifically provides for payment. It is common for lawyer's to draft will trusts so as to permit such payment, and to take office accordingly: this may be an unnecessary expense for small estates.

Other uses

The term "trustee" is also applied to someone held to a fiduciary duty similar in some respects to that of a trustee proper. For example, the directors of a bank may be trustees for the depositors, directors of a corporation are trustees for the stockholders and a guardian is trustee of his ward's property. Many corporations call their governing board a board of trustees, though in those cases they act as a board of directors.

In the case of UK charities, a "trustee" is an unpaid volunteer who undertakes fiduciary responsibilities on behalf of the charity, subject to the provisions of Charity Law, a branch of trust law, and the " [http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1993/Ukpga_19930010_en_1.htm Charities Act 1993] ". For charity trustees, the Charity Commission of England and Wales, Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator of Scotland and Voluntary Activity Unit of Northern Ireland often has concurrent jurisdiction with the Courts. Many UK charities are also limited liability companies registered with Companies House, in this case the trustees are also Directors of the company and their liability is limited. This is the preferred model if the charity owns property or employs people.

Trustee is also a term used for a prison inmate who has special work-related privileges, usually as a result of good behavior.

Bankruptcy Trustee

In the United States, if a person is adjudged a bankrupt, a trustee will be appointed to hold legal title to the property of the debtor and to perform other duties required by the bankruptcy laws. See United States Trustee for additional information about trustees in US bankruptcy law.

UK legislation

:" [http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1999/19990015.htm Trustee Delegation Act 1999] " specifically covers matters to do with land.:"Trustee Act 1925":" [http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1996/1996047.htm#aofs Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996] ":" [http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/20000029.htm#aofs Trustee Act 2000] ":" [http://www.hmso.gov.uk/acts/acts1993/Ukpga_19930010_en_1.htm Charities Act 1993] "

ee also

* Trustee model of representation
* Trusty system

References

*Fontaine, C. JD, LLM, CLU, ChFC (2004) "Fundamentals of Estate Planning". The American College Press


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  • trustee — trust·ee 1 /ˌtrəs tē/ n 1: one to whom something is entrusted: one trusted to keep or administer something: as a: a member of a board entrusted with administering the funds and directing the policy of an institution or organization b: a country… …   Law dictionary

  • trustee — an agent of the court who manages the property of the debtor for the benefit of the creditors. The court appoints a trustee in most Chapter 7 cases and in Chapter 11 cases when it determines that the debtor s management should not remain in their …   Glossary of Bankruptcy

  • Trustee — Trus*tee , n. (Law) A person to whom property is legally committed in trust, to be applied either for the benefit of specified individuals, or for public uses; one who is intrusted with property for the benefit of another; also, a person in whose …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Trustee — Trus*tee , v. t. 1. To commit (property) to the care of a trustee; as, to trustee an estate. [1913 Webster] 2. (Law) To attach (a debtor s wages, credits, or property in the hands of a third person) in the interest of the creditor. [U. S.] [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • trustee — ● trustee nom masculin (anglais trustee) Mandataire qui, ayant reçu des instruments de paiement, doit les délivrer à leur bénéficiaire dans des conditions définies. Administrateur qui, aux termes d un accord entre créanciers et débiteurs, assure… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • trustee — [trus tē′] n. 1. a person to whom another s property or the management of another s property is entrusted 2. a nation under whose authority a trust territory is placed 3. any of a group or board of persons appointed to manage the affairs of an… …   English World dictionary

  • Trustee — (engl., spr. Tröstih), 1) der Betraute, Beglaubigte, Bevollmächtigte; 2) Administrator, 3) Vormund, Curator; 4) Fideicommissar, Besitzer eines Fideicommißgutes; 5) Vorsteher, Schuldirector …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Trustee — (engl., spr. tröstī), »Vertrauensmann«, Bevollmächtigter, Vormund etc.; vgl. Trust …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Trustee — (engl., spr. trößtíh), Bevollmächtigter des Trusts (s.d.) …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • trustee — person who is responsible for the property of another, 1640s, from TRUST (Cf. trust) + EE (Cf. ee) …   Etymology dictionary

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