Estate Planning Newsletter

• Witnessed Wills
  A witnessed will is only one of several different types of wills. It is also referred to as a “formal” or “attested” will, and involves the eyewitness participation of other... Read more.
• Court-Imposed Transfers: Constructive Trusts
  A constructive trust is a remedy imposed by a court when a person has wrongfully attained property in an inappropriate way. The court will undo the transaction and order that title to the property go to the rightful... Read more.
• Estate Tax Changes Bring Calm After the Storm
  Much to the relief of many, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (“2012 Tax Act”) was enacted in the beginning of 2013, making permanent many of the tax benefits that were scheduled to expire at the end of 2012. The... Read more.
• Estate and Income Tax Treatment of Contaminated Property
  The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) imposes liability for the investigation and cleanup of contaminated real property without regard to whether the landowner created or allowed the... Read more.

• The Biggest Estate Planning Mistake People Make
• DIY Estate Planning Has Its Risks
• AARP Live Minute: Wills and Estate Planning
• Quick Estate Planning Tips for a Restaurant Owner
• Improving the efficiency of wealth transfers

Resulting Trusts

There may be instances where property under a trust is transferred to the wrong beneficiary. This transfer can be corrected through a remedy called a resulting trust or an implied trust. Do not confuse a resulting trust, which is created by the court to remedy some error, from an express trust, which is a trust expressly created by a person (the trustor or settlor) who designates a trustee to manage assets or property for the benefit of trust beneficiaries.

When a Resulting Trust Is Imposed

A resulting trust is typically imposed by a court, and may occur under any of the following situations:

• Failure of an express trust (due to unclear intentions or inherent illegality)
• A need to determine who is to receive property that remains after an express trust has been administered and property has been distributed
• A person acquires property that was not meant to be a gift to him/her

Distinguishing Characteristics

Resulting trusts are different from other trusts, in that they are:

• Involuntary – Imposed by law, rather than being voluntarily created.
• Not a Constructive Trust – Imposed because of a good faith error, instead of the fraudulent transfer or undue influence that characterizes constructive trusts.

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