Title 19

(a) As used in this section: (1) ASSIGNMENT or ALIENATION, and any conjugation thereof, includes any anticipation, assignment at law or in equity, alienation, attachment, garnishment, levy, execution, or other legal or equitable process. The term includes: (i) any arrangement pro…

The capacity required to create, amend, revoke, or add property to a revocable trust, or to direct the actions of the trustee of a revocable trust, is the same as that required to make a will. (Act 2006-216, p. 314, §1.)

(a) Unless the terms of a trust expressly provide that the trust is irrevocable, the settlor may revoke or amend the trust. This subsection does not apply to a trust created under an instrument executed before January 1, 2007. (b) If a revocable trust is created or funded by more…

(a) While a trust is revocable, rights of the beneficiaries are subject to the control of, and the duties of the trustee are owed exclusively to, the settlor. (b) During the period the power may be exercised, the holder of a power of withdrawal has the rights of a settlor of a re…

(a) A person may commence a judicial proceeding to contest the validity of all or part of the terms of a trust that was revocable at the settlor’s death within the earlier of: (1) two years after the settlor’s death; or (2) six months after the trustee sent the person a copy of t…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), a person designated as trustee accepts the trusteeship: (1) by substantially complying with a method of acceptance provided in the terms of the trust; or (2) if the terms of the trust do not provide a method or the method provid…

(a) A trustee shall give bond to secure performance of the trustee’s duties only if the court finds that a bond is needed to protect the interests of the beneficiaries or is required by the terms of the trust and the court has not dispensed with the requirement. (b) The court may…

(a) Co-trustees who are unable to reach a unanimous decision after consultation among all the co-trustees may act by majority decision. (b) If a vacancy occurs in a co-trusteeship, then the remaining co-trustees may act for the trust. (c) A co-trustee must participate in the perf…

(a) A vacancy in a trusteeship occurs if: (1) a person designated as trustee rejects the trusteeship; (2) a person designated as trustee cannot be identified or does not exist; (3) a trustee resigns; (4) a trustee is disqualified or removed; (5) a trustee dies; or (6) a guardian …

(a) A trustee may resign: (1) upon at least 30 days’ notice to the qualified beneficiaries, the settlor, if living, and all co-trustees; or (2) with the approval of the court. (b) In approving a resignation, the court may issue orders and impose conditions reasonably necessary fo…

(a) The settlor, a co-trustee, or a beneficiary may request the court to remove a trustee, or a trustee may be removed by the court on its own initiative. (b) The court may remove a trustee if: (1) the trustee has committed a serious breach of trust; (2) lack of cooperation among…

(a) Unless a co-trustee remains in office or the court otherwise orders, and until the trust property is delivered to a successor trustee or other person entitled to it, a trustee who has resigned or been removed has: (1) the duties of a trustee; and (2) the powers necessary to p…

(a) If the terms of a trust do not specify the trustee’s compensation, then a trustee is entitled to compensation that is reasonable under the circumstances. (b) If the terms of a trust specify the trustee’s compensation, the trustee has entered into a written fee agreement with …

(a) A trustee is entitled to be reimbursed out of the trust property, with interest as appropriate for: (1) expenses that were properly incurred in the administration of the trust, including the defense or prosecution of any action, whether successful or not, unless the trustee i…

Upon acceptance of a trusteeship, the trustee shall administer the trust in good faith, in accordance with the terms of the trust and its purposes and the interests of the beneficiaries, and in accordance with this chapter. (Act 2006-216, p. 314, §1.)

(a) A trustee shall administer the trust solely in the interests of the beneficiaries. (b) Subject to the rights of persons dealing with or assisting the trustee as provided in Section 19-3B-1012, a sale, encumbrance, or other transaction involving the investment or management of…

If a trust has two or more beneficiaries, then the trustee shall act impartially in investing, managing, and distributing the trust property, giving due regard to the beneficiaries’ respective interests and the purposes of the trust. (Act 2006-216, p. 314, §1.)

A trustee shall administer the trust as a prudent person would, by considering the purposes, terms, distributional requirements, and other circumstances of the trust. In satisfying this standard, the trustee shall exercise reasonable care, skill, and caution. (Act 2006-216, p. 31…

In administering a trust, the trustee may incur costs that are reasonable in relation to the trust property, the purposes of the trust, and the skills of the trustee. (Act 2006-216, p. 314, §1.)

A trustee who has special skills or expertise, or is named trustee in reliance upon the trustee’s representation that the trustee has special skills or expertise, shall use those special skills or expertise. (Act 2006-216, p. 314, §1.)

(a) A trustee may delegate duties and powers that a prudent trustee could properly delegate under the circumstances. The trustee shall exercise reasonable care, skill, and caution in: (1) selecting an agent; (2) establishing the scope and terms of the delegation, consistent with …

(a) While a trust is revocable, the trustee may follow a direction of the settlor that is contrary to the terms of the trust. (b) If the terms of a trust confer upon a person other than the settlor of a revocable trust power to direct certain actions of the trustee, then the trus…

A trustee shall take reasonable steps to take control of and protect the trust property. (Act 2006-216, p. 314, §1.)

(a) A trustee shall keep adequate records of the administration of the trust. (b) A trustee shall keep trust property separate from the trustee’s own property. (c) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d), a trustee shall cause the trust property to be designated so that th…

A trustee shall take reasonable steps to enforce claims of the trust and to defend claims against the trust. (Act 2006-216, p. 314, §1.)

A trustee shall take reasonable steps to compel a former trustee or other person to deliver trust property to the trustee, and to redress a breach of trust known to the trustee to have been committed by a former trustee. (Act 2006-216, p. 314, §1.)

(a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 19-3B-603, the following rules apply: (1) A trustee shall keep the current permissible distributees of income or principal of the trust reasonably informed about the administration of the trust and of the material facts necessary for th…

(a) Notwithstanding the breadth of discretion granted to a trustee in the terms of the trust, including the use of such terms as “absolute,” “sole,” or “uncontrolled,” the trustee shall exercise a discretionary power in good faith and in accordance with the terms and purposes of …

(a) A trustee, without authorization by the court, may exercise: (1) powers conferred by the terms of the trust; and (2) except as limited by the terms of the trust: (A) all powers over the trust property which an unmarried competent owner has over individually owned property; (B…

(a) Without limiting the authority granted by Section 19-3B-815, a trustee may: (1) Collect trust property and accept or reject additions to the trust property from a settlor or any other person, including, but not limited to, the authority to receive, collect, hold, and retain c…

(a) Upon termination or partial termination of a trust, the trustee may send to the beneficiaries a proposal for distribution. The right of any beneficiary to object to the proposed distribution terminates if the beneficiary does not notify the trustee of an objection within 30 d…

A trustee may retain any life insurance policy contributed to a trust by a settlor, or purchased by the trustee upon the request of the settlor, as an asset of the trust without regard to any lack of diversification caused thereby and without regard to the terms and conditions of…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), a trustee who invests and manages trust assets owes a duty to the beneficiaries of the trust to comply with the prudent investor rule set forth in this article. (b) The prudent investor rule, a default rule, may be expanded, res…

(a) A trustee shall invest and manage trust assets as a prudent investor would, by considering the purposes, terms, distribution requirements, and other circumstances of the trust. In satisfying this standard, the trustee shall exercise reasonable care, skill, and caution. (b) A …

(a) A trustee shall diversify the investments of the trust unless the trustee reasonably determines that, because of special circumstances, the purposes of the trust are better served without diversifying. (b) In the absence of an express provision to the contrary in the terms of…

Within a reasonable time after accepting a trusteeship or receiving trust assets, a trustee shall review the trust assets and make and implement decisions concerning the retention and disposition of assets, in order to bring the trust portfolio into compliance with the purposes, …

Compliance with the prudent investor rule is determined in light of the facts and circumstances existing at the time of a trustee’s decision or action and not by hindsight. The prudent investor rule does not guarantee a specific outcome or performance, but is a standard of conduc…

The following terms or comparable language in the terms of a trust, unless otherwise limited or modified, authorizes any investment or strategy permitted under this chapter: “investments permissible by law for investment of trust funds,” “legal investments,” “authorized investmen…

This chapter may be cited as the Alabama Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act. (Act 2008-276, p. 434, §2.)

In applying and construing this uniform act, consideration must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it. (Act 2008-276, p. 434, §2.)

In this chapter: (1) CHARITABLE PURPOSE means the relief of poverty, the advancement of education or religion, the promotion of health, governmental or municipal purposes, or other purposes the achievement of which is beneficial to the community. (2) ENDOWMENT FUND means an insti…

(a) Subject to the intent of a donor expressed in a gift instrument, an institution, in managing and investing an institutional fund, shall consider the charitable purposes of the institution and the purposes of the institutional fund. (b) In addition to complying with the duty o…

(a) Subject to the intent of a donor expressed in the gift instrument, an institution may appropriate for expenditure or accumulate so much of an endowment fund as the institution determines is prudent for the uses, benefits, purposes, and duration for which the endowment fund is…

(a) Subject to any specific limitation set forth in a gift instrument or in law other than this chapter, an institution may delegate to an external agent the management and investment of an institutional fund to the extent that an institution could prudently delegate under the ci…

(a) If the donor consents in a record, an institution may release or modify, in whole or in part, a restriction contained in a gift instrument on the management, investment, or purpose of an institutional fund. A release or modification may not allow a fund to be used for a purpo…

Compliance with this chapter is determined in light of the facts and circumstances existing at the time a decision is made or action is taken, and not by hindsight. (Act 2008-276, p. 434, §2.)