On multiple occasions, Finney Law Firm has been approached by a beneficiary of a trust when the beneficiary is concerned with the administration of the trust by the trustee. In these types of situations, our firm has helped the beneficiary pursue and protect the beneficiary’s rights.
Although there are other rights, below you will find a summary of some of the statutory rights of a trust beneficiary.
Under current Ohio law, a trustee shall, within sixty (60) days after accepting its duties as trustee, notify the current beneficiaries of a trust of the trustee’s acceptance of the trust, together with the trustee’s name, address, and telephone number.
Further, within sixty (60) days after the date the trustee acquires knowledge of the creation of an irrevocable trust, or the date the trustee acquires knowledge that a formerly revocable trust has become irrevocable, the trustee must notify the current beneficiaries of the existence of the trust, the identity of the settlor/grantor, the right to request a copy of the trust instrument, and the right to receive a trustee’s report as defined below.
Upon the request of a beneficiary, the trustee shall provide to the beneficiary a copy of the trust document. Unless the beneficiary specifically requests a copy of the entire trust document, the trustee may furnish to the beneficiary a copy of a redacted trust document that includes only those provision of the trust that are relevant to the beneficiary’s interest in the trust. If the beneficiary requests a copy of the entire trust document after receiving a copy of the redacted portion, the trustee must furnish a copy of the entire trust document.
The trustee is also required to send a trust report at least annually and at the termination of the trust, to the current beneficiaries, and also to other beneficiaries who request it. This is commonly known as an accounting. The report shall detail the trust property, liabilities, receipts, and disbursements, including the source and amount of the trustee’s compensation, a listing of the trust assets and, if feasible, their respective market values.
Any beneficiary may waive the right to a trustee’s report or other information otherwise required to be furnished to a beneficiary. A beneficiary, with respect to future reports and other information, may withdraw a waiver previously given.
A trustee, in fulfilling its fiduciary obligations, must keep the current beneficiaries reasonably informed about the administration of the trust and of the material facts necessary for them to protect their interests.
Please note that the above rights are not a comprehensive list of the rights of a beneficiary of a trust.
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For assistance with an Ohio trust or more generally Ohio estate planning and estate administration needs, contact Isaac T. Heintz (513-943-6654; [email protected]) or Eli Krafte-Jacobs (513-797-285; [email protected]) of our transactional team.
