701.20(4)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), income earned or accrued in whole or in part before the date when an asset becomes subject to the trust shall be income when received.
701.20(4)(b)
(b) In the administration of a decedent's estate or of an asset becoming subject to a trust by reason of a will or by reason of the death of a decedent, income which is earned or accrued to the date of death of the decedent but not yet payable, including, but not limited to, income in respect of a decedent, or which is due but not yet paid, shall be added to principal when received.
701.20(4)(c)
(c) On termination of an income interest, the following amounts shall be classified as income and treated as if received prior to the termination:
701.20(4)(c)2.
2. Income due but not paid to the trustee on the date of termination.
701.20(4)(d)
(d) In determining accrued income, the following rules apply:
701.20(4)(d)1.
1. Corporate distributions to stockholders including distributions from a regulated investment company or by a trust qualified and electing to be taxed under federal law as a real estate investment trust shall be treated as accrued on the day fixed by the corporation for determination of stockholders of record entitled to distribution or, if no date is fixed, on the date of declaration of the distribution by the corporation.
701.20(4)(d)2.
2. Except for corporate distributions to stockholders, income in the form of periodic payments, including interest, rent and annuities, shall be treated as accruing from day to day.
701.20(4)(d)3.
3. Obligations for the payment of money which are sold by the issuer at a discount from their maturity value in lieu of interest payments shall be treated as accruing from day to day.
701.20(5)
(5) Income earned during administration of a decedent's estate. 701.20(5)(a)(a) Unless the will otherwise provides and subject to
par. (b), debts, funeral expenses, estate taxes, property taxes prorated to the date of death, family allowances unless charged against income by the court, and administration expenses shall be charged against the principal of the estate.
701.20(5)(b)
(b) Unless the will otherwise provides, income from the assets of a decedent's estate after the death of the decedent and before distribution, including income from property used to discharge liabilities, legacies and devises, shall be determined in accordance with the rules applicable to a trustee under this section and distributed as follows:
701.20(5)(b)1.
1. To legatees and devisees of specific property other than money, the income from the property bequeathed or devised to them less any of the following recurrent and other ordinary expenses attributable to the specific property:
701.20(5)(b)1.a.
a. Property taxes, excluding taxes prorated to the date of death.
701.20(5)(b)1.c.
c. Income taxes, excluding taxes on income in respect of a decedent, capital gains and any other income taxes chargeable against principal, that accrue during the period of administration.
701.20(5)(b)1.d.
d. Ordinary repairs and other expenses of management and operation of the property.
701.20(5)(b)2.
2. To all other legatees and devisees, except as provided in
par. (d), the balance of the income, less the balance of the recurrent and other ordinary expenses attributable to all other property from which the estate is entitled to income, the distribution to be in proportion to their respective interests in the property at the time of distribution and based upon the value of the property at the date of death.
701.20(5)(c)
(c) Income received by a trustee under
par. (b) shall be treated as income of the trust.
701.20(5)(d)
(d) A legatee, including a trustee, of a specific amount of money not determined by a pecuniary formula shall not be paid any part of the income of the estate but shall receive interest on any unpaid portion of the legacy for the period commencing one year after decedent's death at the legal rate set forth in
s. 138.04.
701.20(5)(e)
(e) Unless the creating instrument otherwise provides, if a trust may be included in a decedent's gross estate for federal estate tax purposes, and if the trust is divided or distributed in whole or in part as a result of the decedent's death, this subsection shall apply during the period after the death of the decedent and before the division or distribution is complete. For this purpose, the assets of the trust shall be valued as of the decedent's death.
701.20(6)(a)(a) Except as provided in
pars. (b),
(c) and
(d), all corporate distributions are income, including cash dividends, distributions of or rights to subscribe to shares or securities or obligations of corporations other than the distributing corporation, and the proceeds of the rights or property distributions. Except as provided in
pars. (c) and
(d), if the distributing corporation gives a stockholder an option to receive a distribution either in cash or in its own shares, the distribution chosen is income.
701.20(6)(b)
(b) Corporate distributions of shares of the distributing corporation, including distributions in the form of a stock split or stock dividend, are principal. A right to subscribe to shares or other securities issued by the distributing corporation accruing to stockholders on account of their stock ownership and the proceeds of any sale of the right are principal.
701.20(6)(c)
(c) Except to the extent that the corporation indicates that some part of a corporate distribution is a settlement of preferred or guaranteed dividends accrued since the trustee became a stockholder or is in lieu of an ordinary cash dividend, a corporate distribution is principal if the distribution is pursuant to:
701.20(6)(c)2.
2. A merger, consolidation, reorganization, or other plan by which assets of a corporation are acquired by another corporation;
701.20(6)(c)3.
3. A total or partial liquidation of the corporation, including any distribution which the corporation indicates is a distribution in total or partial liquidation;
701.20(6)(c)4.
4. Any distribution of assets pursuant to a court decree or final administrative order by a government agency ordering distribution of the particular assets; or
701.20(6)(c)5.
5. Any distribution of securities other than shares of the distributing corporation on which no gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes.
701.20(6)(d)
(d) Distributions made from ordinary income by a regulated investment company or by a trust qualifying and electing to be taxed under federal law as a real estate investment trust are income. All other distributions made by the company or trust, including distributions from capital gains, depreciation, or depletion, whether in the form of cash or an option to take new stock or cash or an option to purchase additional shares, are principal.
701.20(6)(e)
(e) Corporate distributions other than cash which are deemed income under this subsection may be distributed in kind, or the trustee may instead distribute its cash equivalent on the date of distribution by the corporation.
701.20(7)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), no provision may be made for amortization of premiums or for accumulation for discounts on bonds or other obligations for the payment of money. The proceeds of sale, redemption or other disposition of the bonds or obligations are principal.
701.20(7)(b)
(b) In the case of a bond or other stated obligation for the payment of money bearing no stated interest but payable or redeemable at maturity or at a future time at an amount in excess of the amount in consideration of which it was issued, the increment in value while held by the personal representative or trustee is income when realized.
701.20(8)
(8) Business and farming operations. If a trustee uses any part of the principal in the operation of a business, including an agricultural or farming operation, as a sole proprietor, partner or member of a limited liability company, the net profits and losses of the business shall be computed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for a comparable business.
701.20(8)(b)
(b) Net losses from a business do not reduce other trust income for the fiscal or calendar year during which they occur but shall be carried into subsequent fiscal or calendar years and reduce the net profits of the business for those years.
701.20(9)
(9) Disposition of natural resources. 701.20(9)(a)(a) If any part of the principal consists of a right to receive royalties, overriding or limited royalties, working interests, production payments, net profit interests, or other interests in minerals, oil, gas, stone, gravel, sand or other natural resources in, on or under land, the receipts from taking the natural resources from the land shall be allocated as follows:
701.20(9)(a)1.
1. If received as rent on a lease or extension payments on a lease, the receipts are income.
701.20(9)(a)2.
2. If received from a production payment, the receipts are income to the extent of any factor for interest or its equivalent provided in the governing instrument. There shall be allocated to principal the fraction of the balance of the receipts which the unrecovered cost of the production payment bears to the balance owed on the production payment, exclusive of any factor for interest or its equivalent. The receipts not allocated to principal are income.
701.20(9)(a)3.
3. If received as a royalty, overriding or limited royalty, or bonus, or from a working, net profit, or any other interest in minerals or other natural resources, receipts not provided for in
subds. 1. and
2. shall be apportioned on a yearly basis in accordance with this subdivision whether or not any natural resource was being taken from the land at the time the trust was established. There shall be added to principal as an allowance for depletion such portion of the gross receipts as shall be allowed as a deduction in computing taxable income for federal income tax purposes. The balance of the gross receipts, after payment therefrom of all expenses, direct and indirect, is income.
701.20(9)(b)
(b) If a trustee, on January 1, 1979, held an item of depletable property of a type specified in this subsection the trustee may continue to allocate receipts from the property in the manner used before January 1, 1979.
701.20(9)(c)
(c) This subsection does not apply to timber, water, soil, sod, dirt, peat, turf, mosses or interests in a partnership or limited liability company owning natural resources.
701.20(10)
(10) Timber, water, soil, sod, dirt, peat, turf, mosses or an interest in a partnership or limited liability company owning natural resources. If any part of the principal consists of an interest in timber, water, soil, sod, dirt, peat, turf, mosses or a partnership or limited liability company owning natural resources, the receipts shall be allocated in accordance with
sub. (2) (a) 3.
701.20(11)
(11) Other property subject to depletion. Except as provided in
subs. (9) and
(10), if the principal consists of property subject to depletion, including leaseholds, patents, copyrights, royalty rights and any rights to receive periodic payments under a contract or plan for deferred compensation or for the benefit of one or more of the employees of an employer, receipts shall be allocated in accordance with
sub. (2) (a) 3.
701.20(12)
(12) Charges against income and principal. 701.20(12)(a)(a) The following charges shall be made against income:
701.20(12)(a)2.
2. Ordinary expenses incurred in connection with the administration, management, or preservation of the trust property, including fees and expenses of attorneys, accountants, appraisers, investment counselors, custodians and agents, regularly recurring taxes assessed against any portion of the principal, all premiums on insurance other than life insurance, interest, maintenance, and ordinary repairs.
701.20(12)(a)3.
3. Any tax levied upon receipts defined as income under this section or the trust instrument and payable by the trustee.
701.20(12)(b)
(b) No allowance may be made for depreciation of any property held by the trustee unless the court directs otherwise.
701.20(12)(c)
(c) If charges against income are of unusual amount, the trustee may by means of reserves or other reasonable means charge them over a reasonable period of time and withhold from distribution sufficient sums to regularize distributions.
701.20(12)(d)
(d) The following charges shall be made against principal:
701.20(12)(d)2.
2. Charges not provided for in
par. (a), including fees and expenses of attorneys, accountants, appraisers, investment counselors, custodians and agents, the cost of investing and reinvesting principal, the payments on principal of an indebtedness including a mortgage amortized by periodic payments of principal, expenses for preparation of property for rental or sale, and attorney fees and other expenses in judicial proceedings unless the court directs otherwise.
701.20(12)(d)3.
3. Extraordinary repairs or expenses incurred in making a capital improvement to principal, including special assessments.
701.20(12)(d)4.
4. Any tax levied upon profit, gain, or other receipts allocated to principal notwithstanding denomination of the tax as an income or franchise tax by the taxing authority.
701.20(12)(d)5.
5. If a death tax or generation skipping transfer tax is levied in respect to a trust, any amount apportioned to the trust, or any beneficial interest in the trust.
701.20(12)(dm)
(dm) The following charges shall be made in equal portions against income and principal:
701.20(12)(dm)1.
1. The trustee's regular compensation, whether based on a percentage of principal or income.
701.20(12)(dm)2.
2. Special compensation of trustees, and trustee's compensation computed on principal as an acceptance, distribution, or termination fee.
701.20(12)(e)
(e) Regularly recurring charges payable from income shall be apportioned to the same extent and in the same manner that income is apportioned under
sub. (4).
701.21
701.21
Income payments and accumulations. 701.21(1)
(1)
Distribution of income. Where a beneficiary is entitled to receive income from a trust, but the creating instrument fails to specify how frequently it is to be paid, the trustee shall distribute at least annually the income to which such beneficiary is entitled.
701.21(2)
(2) Permitted accumulations. No provision directing or authorizing accumulation of trust income shall be invalid.
701.21(3)
(3) Charitable trust accumulations. A trust containing a direction or authorization to accumulate income from property devoted to a charitable purpose shall be subject to the general equitable supervision of the court with respect to any such accumulation of income, including its reasonableness, amount and duration.
701.21(4)
(4) Disposition of accumulated income. Income not required to be distributed by the creating instrument, in the absence of a governing provision in the instrument, may in the trustee's discretion be held in reserve for future distribution as income or be added to principal subject to retransfer to income of the dollar amount originally transferred to principal; but at the termination of the income interest, any undistributed income shall be distributed as principal.
701.22
701.22
Distributions in kind by trustees; marital bequests. In case of a division of trust assets into 2 or more trusts or shares, any distribution or allocation of assets as an equivalent of a dollar amount fixed by formula or otherwise shall be made at current fair market values unless the governing instrument expressly provided that another value may be used. If the governing instrument requires or permits a different value to be used, all assets available for distribution, including cash, shall, unless otherwise expressly provided, be so distributed that the assets, including cash, distributed as such an equivalent will be fairly representative of the net appreciation or depreciation in the value of the available property on the date or dates of distribution. A provision in the governing instrument that the trustee may fix values for purposes of distribution or allocation does not of itself constitute authorization to fix a value other than current fair market value.
701.22 Annotation
The valuation of assets for distribution is the current market value at the time of distribution. Estate of Naulin,
56 Wis. 2d 100,
201 N.W.2d 599 (1972).
701.23
701.23
Removal of trusts. 701.23(1)(1)
Removal to foreign jurisdiction. Unless the creating instrument contains an express prohibition or provides a method of removal, a circuit court having jurisdiction of a trust created by a will admitted to probate in such court may, upon petition of a trustee or a beneficiary with the consent of the trustee and after a hearing as to which notice has been given to the trustee and other interested persons, order removal of such trust to another state where the court finds that such removal is in accord with the express or implied intention of the settlor, would aid the efficient administration of the trust or is otherwise in the best interests of the beneficiaries. Such order may be conditioned on the appointment of a trustee in the state to which the trust is to be removed and shall be subject to such other terms and conditions as the court deems appropriate for protection of the trust property and the interests of the beneficiaries. Upon receipt of satisfactory proof of compliance with all terms and conditions of the order, the court may discharge the local trustee from further responsibility in the administration of the trust.
701.23(2)
(2) Removal to this state. Unless the creating instrument contains an express prohibition against removal or provides a method for removal, a court may, upon the petition of a foreign trustee or beneficiary with the consent of the trustee, appoint a local trustee to receive and administer trust property presently being administered in another state. The local trustee may be required to give bond conditioned on the faithful performance of his or her duties or to meet any other conditions required by a court in the other state before permitting removal of the trust to this state.
701.23 History
History: 1977 c. 449 s.
497;
1993 a. 486.
701.24
701.24
Applicability of ss. 701.01 to 701.23. Except as otherwise provided in
s. 701.19 (9) (a) and
(10),
ss. 701.01 to
701.23 are applicable to a trust existing on July 1, 1971, as well as a trust created after such date and shall govern trustees acting under such trusts. If application of any provision of
ss. 701.01 to
701.23 to a trust in existence on August 1, 1971, is unconstitutional, it shall not affect application of the provision to a trust created after that date.
701.24 History
History: 1971 c. 66;
1977 c. 309.
701.25
701.25
Applicability of general transfers at death provisions. Chapter 854 applies to transfers at death under trust instruments.
701.25 History
History: 1997 a. 188.
701.25 Annotation
Wisconsin's New Probate Code. Erlanger. Wis. Law. Oct. 1998.
701.26
701.26
Disclaimers of nonprobate transfers at death. A person may disclaim, under
s. 854.13, any of the following:
701.26(1)
(1) An interest in a joint tenancy, upon the death of another joint tenant.
701.26(2)
(2) An interest in survivorship marital property, upon the death of the other spouse.
701.26(3)
(3) An interest that is created by a nontestamentary instrument and transferred at death, upon the death that causes the transfer.
701.26 History
History: 1997 a. 188.
