what if one of the beneficiaries won't respond to the trustees attorney

by Novella Bergstrom III 10 min read

Can a court order a trustee to remove a beneficiary?

ATTORNEY ANSWER: A beneficiary is always free to refuse to accept benefits under a trust or a will. You should ask the beneficiary to execute what is called a disclaimer. Once a beneficiary disclaims her interest, she is treated as predeceasing the Donor of the trust and you are free to distribute the bequest to the next beneficiary in line.

What are a trustee’s obligations to beneficiaries?

In response to a petition filed by a trust beneficiary, a court may order the trustee to provide a written accounting of trust assets to the beneficiary. The court may approve a petition to remove a trustee if that individual has violated the terms of the trust or the obvious intentions of the trust grantor. A trustee may also be removed if he has acted dishonestly or incompetently, if he has …

Can a beneficiary refuse to accept benefits under a will?

To that end, all trustees owe several duties to beneficiaries, including duties of loyalty and prudence, as well as a fiduciary responsibility to distribute trust assets in accordance with the trust deed, which is the document that creates the trust. Moreover, a trustee is responsible for investing assets, handling other administrative aspects ...

What happens when a beneficiary disclaims her interest in a trust?

Nov 24, 2020 · What happens if one of the beneficiaries refuses to sign a waiver of accounting? If one beneficiary refuses to waive an accounting, the Trustee can still make partial distributions. Often the Trustee will hold a certain amount in reserve to pay for preparation of a formal accounting. A formal accounting is filed with the court. The court must approve a formal …

Does a trustee have to communicate with beneficiaries?

It doesn't matter if the beneficiaries are hard to deal with or they get angry or they yell, or whatever the situation is, a Trustee still must communicate with the beneficiaries and keep the beneficiaries reasonably informed of all the actions that the Trustee is taking on behalf of the Trust.Nov 12, 2021

Can a trustee override a beneficiary?

Can a Trustee Change the Beneficiary? Trustees generally do not have the power to change the beneficiary of a trust. The right to add and remove beneficiaries is a power reserved for the grantor of the trust; when the grantor dies, their trust will usually become irrevocable.Jul 7, 2021

How do you hold a trustee accountable?

The Options for you to Hold the Trustee AccountableContact the Trustee. ... Write a Letter. ... Hire an inexpensive lawyer. ... Hire an expensive lawyer. ... Hire an attorney who can take court action.

Does the trustee have to follow the trust?

In fact, the Trustee is required by California Trust law to (1) follow the terms of the Trust, and (2) follow the requirements of the California Probate Code for Trustee duties. That means everything a Trustee does must be done to benefit the Trust beneficiaries, not harm them.Oct 8, 2021

What a trustee Cannot do?

The trustee cannot fail to carry out the wishes and intent of the settlor and cannot act in bad faith, fail to represent the best interests of the beneficiaries at all times during the existence of the trust and fail to follow the terms of the trust. A trustee cannot fail to carry out their duties.Sep 14, 2020

Can a trustee remove a beneficiary from a revocable trust?

Yes, a Beneficiary can be removed from a revocable Trust because a revocable Trust is a Living Trust and managed by the Trustor/Grantor during their lifetime. Once the Trustor/Grantor dies, the Trust becomes Irrevocable, and the Beneficiaries can no longer be removed.

Can a trustee do whatever they want?

The trustee cannot do whatever they want. They must follow the trust document, and follow the California Probate Code. More than that, Trustees don't get the benefits of the Trust. The Trust assets will pass to the Trust beneficiaries eventually.Apr 30, 2019

Does a trustee have to provide an accounting?

Generally, the trustee only has to provide the annual accounting to “each beneficiary to whom income or principal is required or authorized in the trustee's discretion to be currently distributed.” The trust document has to be read and interpreted to determine who is entitled to accountings.

How does a beneficiary get money from a trust?

There are three main ways for a beneficiary to receive an inheritance from a trust: Outright distributions. Staggered distributions. Discretionary distributions.

What are the legal responsibilities of a trustee?

The trustee acts as the legal owner of trust assets, and is responsible for handling any of the assets held in trust, tax filings for the trust, and distributing the assets according to the terms of the trust.

Can a trustee be personally liable?

A trustee is personally liable for a breach of his or her fiduciary duties. The trustee's fiduciary duties include a duty of loyalty, a duty of prudence, and subsidiary duties. The duty of loyalty requires that the trustee administer the trust solely in the interest of the beneficiaries.Oct 15, 2021

What power do trustees have?

A trustee has the power (in his absolute discretion) of advancement. This means that he may pay or apply capital money for the 'advancement or benefit' of any person entitled to the capital of the trust property (even if his entitlement is contingent or defeasible).Feb 9, 2022