Chapter 701

701.1205(1) (1) Except as otherwise provided in sub. (2) and ss. 701.0602, 701.0813, and 701.0903 (4), this chapter is applicable to a trust existing on July 1, 2014, as well as a trust created after such date, and shall govern trustees acting under such trusts. If application of any provision of this chapter to a trust in existence on July 1, 2014, is unconstitutional, it shall not affect application of the provision to a trust created after that date.

701.1205(2) (2) Subchapter XI of this chapter applies to a trust or decedent’s estate existing on July 1, 2014, and to a trust or decedent’s estate created or coming into existence after that date, except as otherwise expressly provided in subch. XI or by the decedent’s will or the terms of the trust. With respect to a trust or decedent’s estate existing on July 1, 2014, ss. 701.1110 to 701.1135 shall apply at the beginning of the trust’s or estate’s first accounting period, as defined in s. 701.1102 (1), that begins on or after July 1, 2014.

701.1205(3) (3) 

701.1205(3)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), this chapter applies to a judicial proceeding concerning a trust commenced before, on, or after July 1, 2014.

701.1205(3)(b) (b) If a court finds that application of a particular provision of this chapter to a judicial proceeding commenced before July 1, 2014, will substantially interfere with the effective conduct of the judicial proceedings or prejudice the rights of the parties, the particular provision of this chapter does not apply to that judicial proceeding and the court shall apply ch. 701, 2011 stats., as the court finds to be necessary to prevent interference with the effective conduct of the judicial proceeding and to avoid prejudicing the rights of the parties.

701.1205 History History: 1971 c. 66; 1977 c. 309; 2005 a. 10, 216; 2013 a. 92 ss. 191, 296 to 298; Stats. 2013 s. 701.1205; 2013 a. 151.

subch. XIII of ch. 701 SUBCHAPTER XIII

UNIFORM TRUST DECANTING ACT

701.1301 701.1301 Short title. This subchapter may be cited as the Uniform Trust Decanting Act.

701.1301 History History: 2023 a. 127.

701.1302 701.1302 Definitions. In this subchapter:

701.1302(1) (1) “Authorized fiduciary” means any of the following:

701.1302(1)(a) (a) A trustee, a directing party, or another fiduciary, other than a settlor, that has discretion to distribute or direct a trustee to distribute part or all of the principal of the first trust to one or more current beneficiaries.

701.1302(1)(b) (b) A special fiduciary appointed under s. 701.1309.

701.1302(1)(c) (c) A special-needs fiduciary under s. 701.1313.

701.1302(1)(d) (d) A trust protector who has been granted a decanting power, which may be exercised in a fiduciary or nonfiduciary capacity, under s. 701.0818 (2) (b) 2. h.

701.1302(2) (2) “Decanting power” means the power of an authorized fiduciary under this subchapter to distribute property of a first trust to one or more 2nd trusts or to modify the terms of the first trust.

701.1302(3) (3) “Expanded distributive discretion” means a discretionary power of distribution that is not limited to an ascertainable standard or a reasonably definite standard.

701.1302(4) (4) “First trust” means a trust over which an authorized fiduciary may exercise the decanting power.

701.1302(5) (5) “First-trust instrument” means the trust instrument for a first trust.

701.1302(6) (6) “Reasonably definite standard” means a clearly measurable standard under which a holder of a power of distribution is legally accountable within the meaning of section 674 (b) (5) (A) of the Internal Revenue Code and any applicable regulations.

701.1302(7) (7) “Second trust” means any of the following:

701.1302(7)(a) (a) A first trust after modification under this subchapter.

701.1302(7)(b) (b) A trust to which a distribution of property from a first trust is or may be made under this subchapter.

701.1302(8) (8) “Second-trust instrument” means the trust instrument for a 2nd trust.

701.1302 History History: 2023 a. 127.

701.1303 701.1303 Scope.

701.1303(1) (1) Except as otherwise provided in subs. (2) and (3), this subchapter applies to an express trust that is irrevocable or revocable by the settlor only with the consent of the trustee or a person holding an adverse interest.

701.1303(2) (2) This subchapter does not apply to a trust held solely for charitable purposes.

701.1303(3) (3) Subject to s. 701.1315, a trust instrument may restrict or prohibit exercise of the decanting power.

701.1303(4) (4) This subchapter does not limit the power of an authorized fiduciary or other person to distribute or appoint property in further trust or to modify a trust under the trust instrument, law of this state other than this subchapter, common law, a court order, or a nonjudicial settlement agreement.

701.1303(5) (5) This subchapter does not affect the ability of a settlor to provide in a trust instrument for the distribution of the trust property or appointment in further trust of the trust property or for modification of the trust instrument.

701.1303 History History: 2023 a. 127.

701.1304 701.1304 Fiduciary duty.

701.1304(1) (1) In exercising the decanting power, an authorized fiduciary shall act in accordance with its fiduciary duties, including the duty to act in accordance with the purposes of the first trust. If a trustee or other authorized fiduciary is directed by another authorized fiduciary to exercise the decanting power, the trustee or other directed authorized fiduciary shall act to comply with the exercise of the decanting power and the trustee or other directed authorized fiduciary shall not be liable for the action regardless of any fiduciary duty that the trustee or other directed authorized fiduciary might otherwise have.

701.1304(2) (2) This subchapter does not create or imply a duty to exercise the decanting power or to inform beneficiaries about the applicability of this subchapter.

701.1304(3) (3) Except as otherwise provided in a first-trust instrument, for purposes of this subchapter and ss. 701.0801 and 701.0802 (2), the terms of the first trust are deemed to include the decanting power.

701.1304 History History: 2023 a. 127.

701.1305 701.1305 Application; governing law. This subchapter applies to a trust created before, on, or after March 23, 2024, if any of the following applies:

701.1305(1) (1) The trust has its principal place of administration in this state, including a trust whose principal place of administration has been changed to this state.

701.1305(2) (2) The trust provides by its trust instrument that it is governed by the law of this state or is governed by the law of this state for the purpose of any of the following:

701.1305(2)(a) (a) Administration, including administration of a trust whose governing law for purposes of administration has been changed to the law of this state.

701.1305(2)(b) (b) Construction of terms of the trust.

701.1305(2)(c) (c) Determining the meaning or effect of terms of the trust.

701.1305 History History: 2023 a. 127.

701.1306 701.1306 Reasonable reliance. A trustee or other person that reasonably relies on the validity of a distribution of part or all of the property of a trust to another trust, or a modification of a trust, under this subchapter, law of this state other than this subchapter, or the law of another jurisdiction is not liable to any person for any action or failure to act as a result of the reliance.

701.1306 History History: 2023 a. 127.

701.1307 701.1307 Notice; exercise of decanting power.

701.1307(1) (1) In this section, a notice period begins on the day notice is given under sub. (3) and ends 30 days after the day notice is given.

701.1307(2) (2) Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, an authorized fiduciary may exercise the decanting power without the consent of any person and without court approval.

701.1307(3) (3) Except as otherwise provided in sub. (6), an authorized fiduciary shall give notice of the intended exercise of the decanting power not later than 30 days before the exercise to all of the following:

701.1307(3)(a) (a) Each settlor of the first trust, if living or then in existence.

701.1307(3)(b) (b) Each qualified beneficiary of the first trust.

701.1307(3)(c) (c) Each holder of a presently exercisable power of appointment over any part or all of the first trust.

701.1307(3)(d) (d) Each person that currently has the right to remove or replace the authorized fiduciary.

701.1307(3)(e) (e) Each directing party, trust protector, or other fiduciary of the first trust.

701.1307(3)(f) (f) Each directing party, trust protector, or other fiduciary of the 2nd trust.

701.1307(3)(g) (g) If s. 701.1314 (2) applies, the attorney general.

701.1307(4) (4) An authorized fiduciary is not required to give notice under sub. (3) to a person that is not known to the fiduciary or is known to the fiduciary but cannot be located by the fiduciary after reasonable diligence.

701.1307(5) (5) A notice under sub. (3) must do all of the following:

701.1307(5)(a) (a) Specify the manner in which the authorized fiduciary intends to exercise the decanting power.

701.1307(5)(b) (b) Specify the proposed effective date for exercise of the power.

701.1307(5)(c) (c) Include a copy of the first-trust instrument.

701.1307(5)(d) (d) Include a copy of all 2nd-trust instruments.

701.1307(6) (6) The decanting power may be exercised before expiration of the notice period under sub. (1) if all persons entitled to receive notice waive the period in a signed record.

701.1307(7) (7) The receipt of notice, waiver of the notice period, or expiration of the notice period does not affect the right of a person to file an application under s. 701.1309 asserting any of the following:

701.1307(7)(a) (a) That an attempted exercise of the decanting power is ineffective because it did not comply with this subchapter or was an abuse of discretion or breach of fiduciary duty.

701.1307(7)(b) (b) That s. 701.1322 applies to the exercise of the decanting power.

701.1307(8) (8) An exercise of the decanting power is not ineffective because of the failure to give notice to one or more persons under sub. (3) if the authorized fiduciary acted with reasonable care to comply with sub. (3).

701.1307 History History: 2023 a. 127.

701.1309 701.1309 Court involvement.

701.1309(1) (1) On application of an authorized fiduciary, a person entitled to notice under s. 701.1307 (3), a beneficiary, or with respect to a charitable interest the attorney general or other person that has standing to enforce the charitable interest, the court may do any of the following:

701.1309(1)(a) (a) Provide instructions to the authorized fiduciary regarding whether a proposed exercise of the decanting power is permitted under this subchapter and consistent with the fiduciary duties of the authorized fiduciary.

701.1309(1)(b) (b) Appoint a special fiduciary and authorize the special fiduciary to determine whether the decanting power should be exercised under this subchapter and to exercise the decanting power.

701.1309(1)(c) (c) Approve an exercise of the decanting power.

701.1309(1)(d) (d) Determine that a proposed or attempted exercise of the decanting power is ineffective for any of the following reasons:

701.1309(1)(d)1. 1. After applying s. 701.1322, the proposed or attempted exercise does not or did not comply with this subchapter.

701.1309(1)(d)2. 2. The proposed or attempted exercise would be or was an abuse of the fiduciary’s discretion or a breach of fiduciary duty.

701.1309(1)(d)3. 3. The proposed or attempted exercise is expressly prohibited under the terms of the first trust.

701.1309(1)(e) (e) Determine the extent to which s. 701.1322 applies to a prior exercise of the decanting power.

701.1309(1)(f) (f) Provide instructions to the trustee regarding the application of s. 701.1322 to a prior exercise of the decanting power.

701.1309(1)(g) (g) Order other relief to carry out the purposes of this subchapter.

701.1309(2) (2) On application of an authorized fiduciary, the court may approve any of the following:

701.1309(2)(a) (a) An increase in the fiduciary’s compensation under s. 701.1316.

701.1309(2)(b) (b) A modification under s. 701.1318 of a provision granting a person the right to remove or replace the fiduciary.

701.1309 History History: 2023 a. 127.

701.1310 701.1310 Formalities. An exercise of the decanting power must be made in a record signed by an authorized fiduciary. The signed record must, directly or by reference to the notice required by s. 701.1307, identify the first trust and the 2nd trust or trusts and state the property of the first trust being distributed to each 2nd trust and the property, if any, that remains in the first trust.

701.1310 History History: 2023 a. 127.

701.1311 701.1311 Decanting power under expanded distributive discretion.