Who are considered trustees?

Asked by: Benjamin Roob  |  Last update: February 26, 2026
Score: 4.5/5 (27 votes)

A trustee is any person or organization that holds the legal title of an asset or group of assets for another person, called the grantor. A trustee is granted this legal title through a trust in which the they hold title to the assets held in trust for the benefit of others.

What is an example of a trustee?

A trustee can be an individual, such as a family member, friend, or trusted advisor (e.g., lawyer or accountant) or an institution, such as a bank or trust company. Each type of trustee has strengths and weaknesses which should be carefully weighed by the donor (see below).

Who can act as a trustee?

Anyone 16 and over (18 for an Unincorporated Association or Charitable Trust) who is not 'disqualified' can be a Trustee. The reasons for disqualification were set down by the Charities Act 2011, and were designed to prevent people convicted of financial crimes, or who made serious financial errors, becoming trustees.

How do you identify a trustee?

Answer: The name of the trustee assigned to a chapter 7, 12, or 13 bankruptcy case is printed on the Notice of Bankruptcy, Meeting of Creditors and Deadlines.

Who is called a trustee?

A trustee is a person who takes responsibility for managing money or assets that have been set aside in a trust for the benefit of someone else. As a trustee, you must use the money or assets in the trust only for the beneficiary's benefit.

Episode 92 - Powers of Trustees

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Who is considered a trustee?

A trustee is a third party who is authorized by a settlor to execute and manage trust assets . A trustee holds the title of the trust asset. A trustee is a requirement of an express trust along with trust property , trust intent , and definite beneficiaries .

Who can be appointed as a trustee?

Individuals: Any competent person who is of sound mind and at least 18 years old can be appointed as a trustee. This is the most common scenario where individuals, often family members or close friends, are appointed to manage the trust.

Can a beneficiary be a trustee?

It is not unusual for the successor trustee of a trust to also be a beneficiary of the same trust. This is because settlors often name trusted family members or friends to both manage their trust and inherit from it. Naming the same person as trustee and beneficiary can be problematic.

Who is the best person to be a trustee?

Experience and Knowledge. Another key consideration is whether the individual or entity is qualified to act as trustee. If the trust has substantial assets, an individual with experience managing significant assets or with a background in finance or investments may be better suited to the role of trustee.

What makes you a trustee?

Trustees are the volunteers who lead charities and decide how they are run. You may have heard them called board members or the board. Trusteeship is a great way of contributing to causes you care about and developing strategic and leadership skills at the same time.

What cannot a trustee do?

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.

Can anyone be appointed as a trustee?

Although competent adults can serve as trustee, most states restrict what entities can serve as trustee. Typically, only specified financial institutions or other entities recog- nized under state law can act as a fiduciary.

What happens if a trustee spends the money?

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.

Should a family member be a trustee?

While in some situations it is appropriate for a sibling or other family member to serve as trustee, in many cases, particularly with a larger trust, naming a family member is not the best decision, for several reasons. First, clients fail to appreciate the amount of work involved in being a good trustee.

Who has the most power in a trust?

So, now you know that the Trust Maker holds the most power before the Trust is established, but the Trustee holds the most power after the Trust is established.

Can you be a trustee without knowing?

Being nominated as a Successor Trustee is not a binding contract. It's an invitation and request to step into an important role, but only if you choose to accept it. Even if you are named as a Successor Trustee without your knowledge, you can always refuse the role after the fact.

Can a trustee take money from a trust?

The trustee generally has the authority to withdraw money from a trust to cover the cost of third-party professionals, as well as any other expenses arising as a result of administration.

Can I name myself as a trustee?

From a legal standpoint, you can appoint yourself as the Trustee of any trust you create, whether it is a revocable or irrevocable trust. Appointing yourself as the Trustee of an irrevocable trust in which you are also the Settlor, however, would almost always defeat the purpose of making the trust irrevocable.

What makes a bad trustee?

Common Breaches of Trustee Duties in California. Too often, trustees breach their duties. Some of the most common ways they do this include breaches of trust, funds misappropriation, poor management, fraudulent acts, failure to act, and engagement with a competitor.

Who is disqualified from being a trustee?

A A Trustee is disqualified 'as Trustee' upon his death, loss of his legal competence, removal from trusteeship, liquidation, rescinding his licence or declaring his bankruptcy. The Trust shall then be transferred to the other Trustees in case of multiple Trustees, unless the Trust Instrument provides otherwise.

Who has more power, a trustee or beneficiary?

A trustee typically has the most control in running their trust. They are granted authority by their grantor to oversee and distribute assets according to terms set out in their trust document, while beneficiaries merely reap its benefits without overseeing its operations themselves.

What is a trustee in simple terms?

A trustee is a person or firm that holds and administers property or assets for the benefit of a third party. A trustee may be appointed for various purposes, such as in the case of bankruptcy, certain types of retirement plans or pensions, or to manage assets for someone like a minor.

What happens to a trust when the trustee dies?

When they pass away, a successor trustee takes control of your trust. Furthermore, let's assume that you were also the trustee of a revocable trust. In this case, the successor trustee will take over the duties of the trustee, thus taking your place in terms of trust management.

How many trustees can a family trust have?

It is possible to include either one corporate trustee or up to three individual trustees. A trustee can also be a beneficiary provided that it is not the sole trustee and beneficiary. If there is another trustee, or another beneficiary as well, then it is acceptable.

Who can I appoint as trustee?

The trustee can be an individual, a corporate trustee, or a combination of both. Naming a trusted family member has some advantages, but a corporate trustee has expertise that a family member typically doesn't have.