My dad passed away about seven years ago and left a sizeable trust to his wife. The trust is supposed to take care of her for her life before passing to me and my three siblings when she dies. That's all we know about it. We think she is the trustee, but we've never asked because we want to avoid drama. We know she has other assets that she brought into the marriage so we hope she's not draining the trust at our expense. How do we go about finding out the details of this trust, such as how much is in it, what it's being used for, and who is in control of it?
This is a tough but very common family situation, caused in part, by a lack of communication about your dad’s plan while he was living. When your dad passed away and left a trust for your stepmother, it undoubtedly added layers to an already emotional situation. Now, faced with uncertainty about the trust’s details and anxious about its potential impact on your inheritance, you’re understandably concerned.
Finding out about the specifics of a family trust, especially when feelings run high, requires a gentle and thoughtful approach. Here’s some ways you can seek the information you need while preserving family harmony.
My mom recently passed away and I am the executor of her will. The will is fairly simple with everything divided equally between me and my four siblings. The problem is that there are a lot of heirloom items, including art, jewelry, furnishings, and several sentimental items that I know several of us have an interest in. Some are worth quite a bit, but most of it holds only sentimental value. Since I am responsible for dividing these items equally, how can I fairly and objectively do this without it looking like I'm favoring myself?
First of all, I’d like to extend my heartfelt condolences for the loss of your mother. Navigating the complexities of grief while handling the responsibilities of being an executor can be an incredibly challenging task. It’s commendable that you’re seeking a fair and objective way to manage your mother’s legacy while honoring her memory and considering your siblings’ feelings.
I just found out my dad has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. My mom called me and through tears asked if I would take over their financial affairs while she tends to Dad's care. I have no idea where to start, what they have, or where to find anything. I think they are fairly well off. They live comfortably and own a vacation property in Idaho that we all use occasionally. I have an older brother, so I'm not sure if I have the authority to do anything. She did say they have Wills in a safe deposit box, but I don't know how to access it. What should I do now?
Receiving news about a loved one’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis is undoubtedly a heavy burden. It’s challenging to process the emotional ramifications, and on top of that, your mother is reaching out for help regarding their financial affairs. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to start, but you’re not alone in this.
While this will be a profoundly personal journey, here are a few tips to begin the process of taking over financial decisions.
I hold a valid power of attorney for my mother, but when I tried to use it at her bank, the bank refused to recognize it. Why would the bank refuse to honor a valid legal document?
As a holder of a power of attorney (POA) for a loved one, it can be incredibly frustrating when a bank refuses to recognize this legal document. You may believe that you have the authority to act on your mother’s behalf, but banks sometimes take a cautious approach when it comes to powers of attorney. Let’s explore some common reasons banks might refuse to honor a valid POA and what you can do if you find yourself in this situation.
Most people should be able to choose a loving and honoring adult child or family member as a financial caregiver. An Indiana case highlights the importance of integrity when making the choice.
In the case of Biggs vs Renner, Terri Renner and Sherry Biggs are siblings locked in a court battle over their mother’s care, with Terri claiming that Sherry abused her position as agent under her mother’s Power of Attorney, and used their mother’s funds for her own benefit. Court records would confirm Terri’s fears.
Sherry admitted to converting her mother’s accounts first to a joint account, and then to accounts only in her name. She offered a promissory note to court as evidence that she intended to pay the money back, but the the note was largely unenforceable due to her mother’s incapacity, and no payments had been made so far. In addition, Sherry allowed her daughter and husband to live rent-free in her mother’s home and paid several thousand dollars of improvements from her mother’s accounts that did not directly benefit her mother.
Terri sought a court’s intervention to remove her sister as attorney-in-fact, and to insert a disinterested third party as guardian of their mother’s estate. The court granted Terri’s petition, but Sherry objected on appeal.
A Power of Attorney is a legal arrangement whereby one person grants authority (let’s call that person the grantor) to another person to act in their behalf as attorney-in-fact, or agent while they (the grantor) are alive but unable to act for themselves. Acting as agent under a power of attorney is a fiduciary responsibility that obligates the financial caregiver to exercise the powers granted solely for the benefit of the grantor. A financial caregiver has to keep accurate records and is prohibited from using the property of the grantor for their own purposes. Being a financial caregiver is an honorable position when conducted honorably.
Why name an adult child as financial caregiver?
It is understandable that an older person would want to name an adult child as financial caregiver on their behalf. We want to believe our own children would act honorably on our behalf, or perhaps we have regrets about our own parenting and feel guilty if we do not atone ourselves by putting them in charge. Sometimes a parent will name an estranged child in hope that the trust shown by the parent will mend a broken relationship. Parents will often do whatever it takes to keep a child close to them. However, the selection of a financial caregiver should place emphasis on the dependability and the integrity of the individual over familial connections. This may require difficult decisions and may even alienate family members, but if early and intentional discussions on the subject can be held with the appropriate family members, perhaps these kinds of conflicts can be avoided.
Note: The information above is for general information only and should not be relied upon to make legal or financial decisions Advice as to the preparation and use of Powers of Attorney should only be provided by a qualified attorney licensed in your state.
So, your parents have a trust, and you’ve just found out that you are the trustee. Do you thank them or did they reward you with the booby prize? A trustee is held to a high standard of accountability and must act in accordance with an established standard of care as outlined below. To fail in one or more of these – called a breach of fiduciary duty – is to invite litigation and sometimes results in broken family relationships where a family member is also the trustee. Professional trustees, like banks with trust departments, or corporate trustees will be given very little leeway if they fail in any of these duties, but untrained family members or individuals who find themselves in this unenviable position are often not excused for lack of knowledge either.
Duty of loyalty. A trustee has a fundamental duty to administer a trust solely in the interests of the beneficiaries. A trustee must not engage in acts of self‐dealing.
Duty of administration. The trustee must administer the trust in accordance with its terms, purposes, and the interests of the beneficiaries. A trustee must act prudently in the administration of a trust and exercise reasonable care, skill, and caution, as well as properly account for receipts and disbursements between principal and income.
Duty to control and protect trust property. The trustee must take reasonable steps to take control of and protect the trust property.
Duty to keep property separate and maintain adequate records. A trustee must keep trust property separate from the trustee’s property and keep and render clear and accurate records with respect to the administration of the trust.
Duty of impartiality. If a trust has two or more beneficiaries, the trustee must act impartially in investing, managing, and distributing the trust property, giving due regard to the beneficiaries’ respective interests.
Duty to enforce and defend claims. A trustee must take reasonable steps to enforce claims of the trust and to defend claims against the trust.
Duly to inform and report. A trustee must keep qualified trust beneficiaries reasonably informed about the administration of the trust and of the material facts necessary for them to protect their interests.
Duty of prudent investment. A trustee who invests and manages trust property has a duty to “invest and manage trust property as a prudent investor would, by considering the purposes, terms, distribution requirements, and other circumstances of the trust.
Much like the position of Executor, the role of Trustee is not to be accepted lightly and can often be a lifetime of responsibility. If you are not comfortable serving in this capacity, discuss this with your parents now so that alternate plans can be made.
Trusts are excellent vehicles for protecting an estate from creditors, transfer taxes, or misbehaving heirs. Their operation may be simple or complex, but it is incumbent upon you to talk to your parents about their trusts, and especially who the parties are if you are in the role of financial caregiver.
It is a well established principle of trust law that trustees are fiduciaries who owe specific duties to the beneficiaries of a trust. These duties can be grouped into duties of loyalty and duties of care.
But what if a trust has beneficiaries with adverse interests to one another? It is not uncommon for a trust to have two kinds of beneficiaries – a current beneficiary as well as a remainder beneficiary. That is, the current beneficiary may have rights to the income from the trust, and perhaps even discretionary rights to the trust’s assets (also known as the trust principal or corpus); whereas the remainder beneficiary may have rights or equitable interest in what is left in the trust (the remainder) after a period of years or upon the death of the current beneficiary. These adverse interests can test the mettle of most individual or family trustees as both beneficiaries are owed duties of loyalty and care.
Suppose Mike Brady created a trust to take effect at his death. His trust includes the following (summarized) instructions:
At my death, my trustee shall pay to my surviving spouse the net income from my trust for as long as my spouse shall live.
In addition to the net income, my trustee may also pay to my surviving spouse from the trust’s principal, as much as my trustee shall deem necessary to maintain my spouse in [her] accustomed standard of living.
Upon my spouse’s death, my trustee shall distribute my trust to my surviving children (Greg Brady, Peter Brady, and Bobby Brady) in equal shares.
Now supposed that when Mike Brady dies, Carol Brady is appointed to serve as trustee of Mike’s trust. Or, perhaps Mike’s oldest son, Greg, is appointed as trustee. This is not only permitted but done frequently, presumably to avoid paying a professional trustee. The conflicts to the Duty of Loyalty are obvious.
For example, if Carol Brady is trustee, it stands to reason that she would want to maximize current income from the trust while minimizing principal growth. Likewise, if Greg is trustee, he would want to maximize his ultimate share of the trust by investing for growth rather than income. In addition, asking either party to objectively define “accustomed standard of living” puts them both in awkward, if not conflicting positions. Should Alice’s services as a live-in housekeeper continue to be paid after everyone has moved on? Carol could certainly argue that the expense met the accustomed standard of living test, but would Greg require Carol to pay for it herself, or would he deny it saying it wasn’t necessary any longer?
Perhaps when Mike and Carol were in the attorney’s office, their response to these hypothetical situations was typical. “Oh our kids would never argue over this.”
It is possible to be loyal to both beneficiaries even if there are adverse interests. However, doing so requires a great deal of objectivity, scrutiny, and immunity to emotional persuasion. A wise trustee will establish clear expectations and open communication early in the relationship to avoid favoring one beneficiary over the other and risk breaching the duty of loyalty.
An Indiana Court of Appeals opinion underscores the importance of accountings in trust administration, but also raises questions about why families place siblings in adversarial positions to begin with.
According to an article posted by the Indianapolis law firm of Faebre Baker Daniels, the original case involved three siblings, Scott, Jeff and Stacey – and arose after Scott and Jeff began to question some of Stacey’s actions as trustee of their respective trusts – specifically, her handling of the trusts’ joint ownership of multiple parcels of real property. Shortly after the siblings executed a mediated settlement agreement and partitioned the properties, Scott sued Stacey, as trustee of his trust, alleging she failed to provide an accounting and had misused trust assets. Scott also alleged misappropriation of $107,000 of trust assets, which were characterized as trust expenses – which were in fact legal fees Stacey had incurred “years before the most recent trust-related litigation,” apparently with other family members.
One of the duties of a trustee (known as fiduciary duties) is to keep trust property separate and to maintain – and make available to trust beneficiaries – adequate records, which Stacey admitted she had failed to do. Unfortunately for Scott, he did not bring his complaint until after the two-year statute of limitations had expired, and the trial court found Stacey did not commit a breach of trust as to the accountings.
Scott also demanded reimbursement for his attorney’s fees for bringing the complaint against Stacey, which after being denied by the trial court was reversed by the Indiana Court of Appeals and Stacey was ordered to pay Scott’s legal fees.
While the crux of the case deals with a trustee’s responsibility to maintain adequate records and provide them to a trust’s beneficiaries, the real story in this case is the human one – that of a family of siblings now divided – at least partly – because one was put into an adversarial position with the others. I wonder if the trustee fee savings was worth it?
Wealth and Honor is a website dedicated to helping families navigate the financial challenges of age transitions. The site now has a YouTube Channel to host “edutainment” videos featuring non-legal commentary on actual court cases involving will disputes, elder financial abuse, estate litigation, fiduciary liability, and other issues of aging, death, and wealth.
Court transcripts are condensed into a factual summary with popular sitcom characters providing faces to the actual characters of the case, followed by a non-legal commentary of lessons to learn and missteps to avoid.
The first episode covers the case of Lintz vs Lintz, a 2014 case decided in the California Appeals Court, that includes claims of breach of fiduciary duty, elder financial abuse, undue influence, among other claims. Viewers are encouraged to first watch a presentation of commonly used terms before watching the case episodes.
For a full text of the court transcript, click here.