A trustee is personally liable for obligations arising from ownership or control of trust property only if the trustee is personally at fault. 18002. A trustee is personally liable for torts committed in the course of administration of the trust only if the trustee is personally at fault.
Trustees are personally liable for all decisions they take in that capacity, and their liability is not automatically limited to the value of the trust fund. Typically, the trust deed will limit trustees' liability in some way and these clauses should be checked, as well as any existing trustee insurance.
The trustee is liable, at the option of the beneficiary, to purchase other land of equal value to be settled upon the like trust, or to be charged with the proceeds of the sale with interest.
If accountings suggest the trustee could potentially have mismanaged, misused or misappropriated trust assets, trust beneficiaries may be entitled to not only challenge those accountings in court, but to suspend or remove and surcharge the trustee as well.
Trustees can be held liable for the losses they cause to the trust they are administering. Typically, beneficiaries can recover assets of the trust that were distributed improperly if they can trace them. Problems may arise in recovering the assets if an innocent purchaser bought them for value.
Who is Liable for Trust Debts? To begin, trustees are not personally responsible for the debts of a trust such as a mortgage on a trust property, outstanding loan from a promissory note or even medical and utility bills. You, as trustee, do not have to pay these bills personally.
A trustee must abide by the trust document and the California Probate Code. They are prohibited from using trust assets for personal gain and must act in the best interest of the beneficiaries. Trust assets are meant for the benefit of the trust beneficiaries and not for the personal use of the trustee.
As previously mentioned, trustees generally cannot withhold money from a beneficiary for no reason or indefinitely. Similarly, trustees cannot withdraw money from a trust to benefit themselves, even if the trustee is also a beneficiary.
The issue of liability allocation is sensitive, as one party's liability exclusion necessarily (and often indirectly) increases the exposure on another. It is however generally accepted that a corporate trustee involved in a debt issuance is entitled to a potentially wide exclusion of liability.
Under California law, embezzling trust funds or property valued at $950 or less is a misdemeanor offense and is punishable by up to 6 months in county jail. If a trustee embezzles more than $950 from the trust, they can be charged with felony embezzlement, which carries a sentence of up to 3 years in jail.
Naming the same person as trustee and beneficiary can be problematic. Not only can it lead to a trustee and beneficiary conflict of interest, but it can make it difficult for the trustee to uphold their duty to treat all beneficiaries equally.
This is a fundamental concept of trust law: the separation of legal and equitable title. In other words, while the trustee has the legal authority to manage and control the assets, they do so not for their own benefit, but for the beneficiaries.
Trustees can protect themselves by understanding the trust instrument, keeping detailed accounting records, and seeking beneficiary permission for specific actions. Trustees may face personal liability in acts of gross misconduct, such as self-dealing, co-mingling of trust assets, and breach of fiduciary duty.
Responsibility for California trust taxes: the trustees
Ultimately, the responsibility for trust taxes lies with the trustees. As such, this also means the trust fund recovery penalty lies with them, too.
Yes, a trustee can go to jail for stealing from a trust, if they are convicted of a criminal offense. In California, embezzling trust assets worth $950 or less is a misdemeanor crime that can be punished with up to a 6-month sentence in county jail.
Per California trust law, if a trustee has committed a breach of their fiduciary duty, the court can deem them personally liable for damages. The extent of liability, ultimately, depends on the severity of their offense and your situation.
A beneficiary can sue a trustee for breach of fiduciary duty if the trustee fails to distribute trust assets as required by the trust instrument. When a trustee accepts an appointment, a “fiduciary” relationship is created between the trustee and the trust's beneficiaries.
Ultimately, trustees can only withdraw money from a trust account for specific expenses within certain limitations. Their duties require them to comply with the grantor's wishes. If they breach their fiduciary duties, they will be removed as the trustee and face a surcharge for compensatory damages.
So, yes, you can sue a trustee for negligence. Trustees have a fiduciary duty to manage the trust prudently, act in the beneficiaries' best interests, and adhere to the trust document's terms. Examples of trustee negligence include: Mismanagement of trust assets, such as poor investment decisions.
Depending on the complexity of the case, it may cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to $100,000 or more to dispute the terms of a trust.
A trustee can end up having to pay taxes out of their own personal funds if they fail to take action on behalf of the estate in a timely way. Of course, they can also face criminal liability for such crimes as taking money out of a trust to pay for their own kids' college tuition. Yup, that's stealing.
In general, creditors cannot access assets in certain types of trusts, like irrevocable trusts, because the trustor no longer owns them. However, if the trust remains revocable, creditors may claim the assets.
So, what assets aren't exempt in California bankruptcy cases? Valuable art and collectibles, luxury vehicles, investment accounts that aren't linked to retirement, cash, second homes, high equity homes, and expensive jewelry or valuables are all non-exempt assets that a trustee can legally sell to repay creditors.
If the accounting is not provided in the proper form as required by the law, then after sixty days the beneficiary can file a probate court petition to seek a court order requiring the trustee to prepare the proper accounting and can request reimbursement for the fees and costs they incur in bringing the petition.