Chapter 701

701.0103(21m) (21m) “Record” means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.

701.0103(22) (22) “Revocable,” as applied to a trust, means that the trust can be revoked by the settlor without the consent of the trustee or a person holding an adverse interest, regardless of whether the settlor is incapacitated.

701.0103(23) (23) Except as otherwise provided in ss. 701.0113 and 701.1325, “settlor” means a person, including a testator, who creates or contributes property to a trust. If more than one person creates or contributes property to a trust, each person is a settlor of the portion of the trust property attributable to that person’s contribution except to the extent another person has the power to revoke the trust or withdraw that portion.

701.0103(23m) (23m) “Sign” means, with present intent to authenticate or adopt a record, to do any of the following:

701.0103(23m)(a) (a) Execute or adopt a tangible symbol.

701.0103(23m)(b) (b) Attach to or logically associate with the record an electronic symbol, sound, or process.

701.0103(25) (25) “Spendthrift provision” means a term of a trust that restrains either or both of a voluntary or involuntary transfer of a beneficiary’s interest.

701.0103(26) (26) “State” means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and an Indian tribe, band, or nation recognized by federal law or formally acknowledged by a state.

701.0103(27) (27) “Terms of a trust” means the manifestation of the settlor’s intent regarding a trust’s provisions as expressed in the trust instrument, as may be established by other evidence that would be admissible in a judicial proceeding, or as may be established by court order or nonjudicial settlement agreement.

701.0103(28) (28) “Trustee” includes an original, additional, and successor trustee, and a cotrustee.

701.0103(29) (29) “Trust for an individual with a disability” means a trust that is established for the benefit of an individual with a disability of any age, if the assets of the trust would not be counted as resources of the individual with a disability for purposes of eligibility for medical assistance under subch. IV of ch. 49, if he or she applied for medical assistance and was otherwise eligible.

701.0103(30) (30) “Trust instrument” means a record signed by the settlor to create a trust, or by any person to create a 2nd trust as provided under subch. XIII, that contains some or all of the terms of the trust, and includes any amendments or modifications.

701.0103(31) (31) “Trust protector” means a person who, in a trust instrument or court order, is granted a power, other than a power of appointment, in a capacity other than as a trustee or a directing party.

701.0103 History History: 2013 a. 92; 2015 a. 300; 2023 a. 127.

701.0103 Annotation Former sub. (27), 2015 stats., which defines the “terms of a trust,” does not purport to elevate the status of extrinsic evidence in the context of a trust agreement. Rather, it simply confirms the common law rules for interpreting trust agreements, directing courts to rely on the language of the agreement or other evidence that would be admissible in a judicial proceeding. Cohen v. Minneapolis Jewish Federation, 286 F. Supp. 3d 949 (2017).

701.0104 701.0104 Knowledge.

701.0104(1) (1) Subject to sub. (2), a person has knowledge of a fact if any of the following applies:

701.0104(1)(a) (a) The person has actual knowledge of the fact.

701.0104(1)(b) (b) The person has received a notice or notification of the fact.

701.0104(1)(c) (c) The person has reason to know the fact from all the facts and circumstances known to the person at the time in question.

701.0104(2) (2) An organization that conducts activities through employees has notice or knowledge of a fact involving a trust only from the time the information was received by an employee having responsibility to act for the trust, or would have been received by the employee if the organization had exercised reasonable diligence. An organization exercises reasonable diligence if it maintains reasonable routines for communicating significant information to the employee having responsibility to act for the trust and there is reasonable compliance with the routines. Reasonable diligence does not require an employee of the organization to communicate information unless the communication is part of the individual’s regular duties or the individual knows a matter involving the trust would be materially affected by the information.

701.0104 History History: 2013 a. 92.

701.0105 701.0105 Default and mandatory rules.

701.0105(1) (1) Except as otherwise provided in the terms of the trust, this chapter governs the duties and powers of trustees, directing parties, and trust protectors; relations among trustees, directing parties, and trust protectors; and the rights and interests of beneficiaries.

701.0105(2) (2) The terms of a trust prevail over any provision of this chapter except for the following:

701.0105(2)(a) (a) The requirements for creating a trust.

701.0105(2)(b) (b) The duty of a trustee or a directing party to act in good faith and in accordance with the terms and purposes of a trust instrument and the interests of the beneficiaries.

701.0105(2)(c) (c) The requirement that a trust and its terms be for the benefit of its beneficiaries, and that the trust have a purpose that is lawful.

701.0105(2)(d) (d) The power of a court to modify or terminate a trust under ss. 701.0410 to 701.0416.

701.0105(2)(e) (e) The effect of a spendthrift provision and the rights of certain creditors and assignees to reach a trust as provided in ss. 701.0501 to 701.0508.

701.0105(2)(f) (f) The power of the court under s. 701.0702.

701.0105(2)(g) (g) The power of the court under s. 701.0708 (2) to adjust a trustee’s, directing party’s, or trust protector’s compensation specified in the terms of the trust.

701.0105(2)(h) (h) The effect of an exculpatory term under s. 701.1008.

701.0105(2)(i) (i) The rights under ss. 701.1010 to 701.1013 of a person other than a trustee or beneficiary.

701.0105(2)(j) (j) Periods of limitation for commencing a judicial proceeding.

701.0105(2)(k) (k) The power of the court to take such action and exercise such jurisdiction as may be necessary in the interests of justice.

701.0105(2)(L) (L) The jurisdiction of the court and venue for commencing a proceeding as provided in ss. 701.0202, 701.0203, and 701.0204.

701.0105(2)(m) (m) The jurisdiction of the court under ss. 701.0807 (4), 701.0808 (9), and 701.0818 (12).

701.0105(2)(n) (n) The legal capacity under s. 701.0818 (2) (c) in which a trust protector who is also serving as a trustee or a directing party must exercise any power granted to the trust protector.

701.0105 History History: 2013 a. 92; 2013 a. 151 s. 28.

701.0106 701.0106 Common law of trusts; principles of equity. The common law of trusts and principles of equity supplement this chapter, except to the extent modified by this chapter or another statute of this state.

701.0106 History History: 2013 a. 92.

701.0107 701.0107 Governing law. The meaning and effect of the terms of a trust are determined by one of the following:

701.0107(1) (1) The law of the jurisdiction designated in the trust instrument.

701.0107(2) (2) In the absence of a controlling designation in the terms of a trust, the law of the jurisdiction having the most significant relationship to the matter at issue.

701.0107 History History: 2013 a. 92.

701.0108 701.0108 Principal place of administration.

701.0108(1) (1) The principal place of administration of a trust is determined by any of the following:

701.0108(1)(a) (a) The designation in the trust instrument if any of the following applies:

701.0108(1)(a)1. 1. A trustee’s usual place of business is located in the jurisdiction designated in the trust instrument.

701.0108(1)(a)2. 2. A trustee is a resident of the jurisdiction designated in the trust instrument.

701.0108(1)(a)3. 3. All or part of the administration of the trust occurs in the jurisdiction designated in the trust instrument.

701.0108(1)(a)4. 4. The trust instrument designates the jurisdiction where the settlor is domiciled at the time the trust instrument is executed.

701.0108(1)(b) (b) If the principal place of administration is not validly designated in the trust instrument under par. (a), the jurisdiction where the trustee’s usual place of business is located or, if the trustee has no place of business, the jurisdiction where the trustee’s residence is located.

701.0108(1)(c) (c) The jurisdiction selected by the trustee under sub. (3).

701.0108(2) (2) 

701.0108(2)(a) (a) If a corporate trustee is designated as the trustee of a trust and the corporate trustee has offices in multiple states and performs administrative functions for the trust in multiple states, the corporate trustee may designate the corporate trustee’s usual place of business by providing notice to the qualified beneficiaries, trust protectors, and directing parties. The notice is valid and controlling if the corporate trustee has a connection to the jurisdiction designated in the notice, including an office where trustee services are performed and the actual performance of some administrative functions for that particular trust in that particular jurisdiction. The subsequent transfer of some of the administrative functions of the corporate trustee to another state or states does not transfer the usual place of business as long as the corporate trustee continues to maintain an office and perform some administrative functions in the jurisdiction designated in the notice and the corporate trustee does not transfer the principal place of administration pursuant to sub. (4).

701.0108(2)(b) (b) If there are cotrustees, the trustee’s usual place of business is determined by any of the following:

701.0108(2)(b)1. 1. If there is only one corporate trustee, the jurisdiction where the usual place of business of the corporate trustee is located.

701.0108(2)(b)2. 2. The jurisdiction where the usual place of business or the residence of any of the cotrustees is located as agreed to by all of the cotrustees with notice to the qualified beneficiaries, trust protectors, and directing parties.

701.0108(2)(b)3. 3. If the cotrustees cannot agree on a jurisdiction under subd. 2., and subd. 1. does not apply, by a court.

701.0108(3) (3) Without precluding the right of the court to approve or disapprove a transfer and subject to sub. (5), a trustee may, but has no affirmative duty to, transfer a trust’s principal place of administration to another state or to a jurisdiction outside of the United States.

701.0108(4) (4) A trustee shall notify the qualified beneficiaries, trust protectors, and directing parties of a proposed transfer of a trust’s principal place of administration not less than 30 days before initiating the transfer. The trustee shall include in the notice of proposed transfer all of the following:

701.0108(4)(a) (a) The name of the jurisdiction to which the principal place of administration is to be transferred.

701.0108(4)(b) (b) The mailing address, electronic mail address, if available, and telephone number at the new location at which the trustee can be contacted.

701.0108(4)(c) (c) An explanation of the reasons for the proposed transfer.

701.0108(4)(d) (d) The date on which the proposed transfer is anticipated to occur.

701.0108(4)(e) (e) The date, not less than 30 days after the giving of the notice, by which a qualified beneficiary, trust protector, or directing party must notify the trustee of an objection to the proposed transfer.

701.0108(5) (5) If a qualified beneficiary, trust protector, or directing party commences a judicial proceeding objecting to the proposed transfer on or before the date specified in the notice, a trustee may not act under sub. (3) without court approval to transfer a trust’s principal place of administration until the judicial proceeding is resolved or withdrawn.

701.0108(6) (6) In connection with a transfer of a trust’s principal place of administration, the trustee may transfer some or all of the trust property to a successor trustee designated in the terms of the trust or appointed pursuant to s. 701.0704.

701.0108(7) (7) The law of the trust’s principal place of administration governs administrative matters related to the trust.

701.0108 History History: 2013 a. 92.

701.0109 701.0109 Methods of notice; waiver.

701.0109(1) (1) Notice to a person under this chapter or the sending of a document to a person under this chapter shall be accomplished in a manner reasonably suitable under the circumstances and likely to result in receipt of the notice or document. Permissible methods of notice or for sending a document include 1st class mail, personal delivery, delivery to the person’s last known place of residence or place of business, or a properly directed electronic message.

701.0109(2) (2) Notice otherwise required under this chapter or a document otherwise required to be sent under this chapter does not need to be provided to a person whose identity or location is unknown to and not reasonably ascertainable by a trustee.

701.0109(3) (3) Notice, the sending of a document, or the right to object granted under this chapter may be waived by the person to be notified, sent the document, or who has the right to object.

701.0109(4) (4) Notice of a judicial proceeding shall be given as provided in s. 701.0205.

701.0109(5) (5) If notice is given to a trustee and more than one person is serving as trustee, notice given to any trustee is considered to be given to all persons serving as trustee, except that if a corporate trustee or an attorney licensed to practice in this state is serving as a trustee, notice must be given to all such corporate trustees and attorney trustees.

701.0109 History History: 2013 a. 92; 2023 a. 127.

701.0110 701.0110 Others treated as qualified beneficiaries.

701.0110(1) (1) An identified charitable organization has the rights of a qualified beneficiary under this chapter if the identified charitable organization, on the date on which the identified charitable organization’s qualification is being determined, is a current beneficiary or a presumptive remainder beneficiary.

701.0110(2) (2) An animal protector or a person appointed to enforce a trust created for a noncharitable purpose without an ascertainable beneficiary as provided in either s. 701.0408 or 701.0409 has the rights of a qualified beneficiary under this chapter.

701.0110(3) (3) The attorney general of this state has the rights of a qualified beneficiary under this chapter with respect to a charitable trust having its principal place of administration in this state only when there is no identified charitable organization that would qualify under sub. (1).

701.0110 History History: 2013 a. 92; 2023 a. 127.

701.0111 701.0111 Nonjudicial settlement agreements.

701.0111(1) (1) In this section, “interested person” means a person whose consent would be required in order to achieve a binding settlement were the settlement to be approved by the court.

701.0111(2) (2) An interested person may be represented under this section as provided in subch. III.

701.0111(3) (3) Except as provided in sub. (4), an interested person may enter into a binding nonjudicial settlement agreement with respect to any matter involving a trust. A binding nonjudicial settlement agreement is considered part of the trust instrument.

701.0111(4) (4) A nonjudicial settlement agreement is valid only to the extent it includes terms and conditions that could be properly approved, ordered, directed, or otherwise determined by a court under this chapter or other applicable law.