Wills & Estates Blank Legal Forms
"FAMILY POT TRUST"

This is not a substitute for legal advice.  An attorney must be consulted.

"This work is protected under the copyright laws of the United States.  No reproduction, use, or disclosure of this work shall be permitted without the prior express written authorization of the copyright owner.  Copyright © 2003 by LAWCHEK, LTD."

 BACK TO BLANK LEGAL FORMS MENU

 

 

FAMILY POT TRUST

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT 
OF

                                                                                

     I,                                                  , of                                             County,                                   (state), publish and declare this to be my Will and revoke all former Wills and Codicils executed by me.

ARTICLE I
IDENTIFICATION OF FAMILY

     My spouse's name, and the person referred to herein whenever the term "my spouse" is used, is                                           . My children/child now living are/is                                                                                     . All references herein to my "children" or “child” shall include the above-named children or child, as well as all children hereafter born to or adopted by me.

ARTICLE II
DEBTS AND EXPENSES

     My executor shall pay my debts, costs of administration and expenses of last illness and burial from my estate; provided, however, that my executor shall not accelerate and prepay the principal balance remaining on any mortgage, installment purchase contract, or other evidence of indebtedness secured by a security interest upon any property or interest in property I own, unless my executor, in its sole discretion, determines that it is in the best interests of my beneficiaries to do so.

ARTICLE III
HOMESTEAD

     If my spouse survives me by sixty (60) days, I give outright to my spouse all of my interests in any homestead and any seasonal residence that I may own at the time of my death together with any insurance policies thereon; I include all land adjacent thereto and used as a part thereof irrespective of area. If my spouse does not survive me by sixty (60) days, this devise shall lapse and the property shall be distributed as part of my residuary estate.

ARTICLE IV
PERSONAL ITEMS

     I bequeath all of my clothing, jewelry, automobiles, household furniture and furnishings, recreational equipment, and all other personal effects used by me about my person or home to my spouse, if my spouse survives me by sixty (60) days. If my spouse does not survive me by sixty (60) days, the property described in this Article shall be either distributed with substantial equality to my living children or sold and the proceeds distributed with the residue of my estate, as my executor shall determine.

This is not a substitute for legal advice.  An attorney must be consulted.
Copyright © 2003 - 2013 by LAWCHEK, LTD.

 

 

ARTICLE V
PAYMENT OF TAXES

     I direct that all inheritance, estate, succession, or other similar taxes (excluding, however, any generation-skipping taxes) against my taxable estate or the recipients thereof, including any taxes arising from the transfer or receipt of assets that are not part of my probate estate, shall be paid from the residue of my estate. Such taxes shall not be charged against the respective beneficiaries and my executor shall not seek reimbursement from anyone therefor, except to the extent that my executor has a right by reason of Sections 2207 or 2207A of the Internal Revenue Code to seek contribution or reimbursement for taxes resulting from the inclusion in my estate of property over which I have a power of appointment or in which I have a qualified income interest for life.

ARTICLE VI
BEQUEST TO SPOUSE

     If my spouse survives me by sixty (60) days, I bequeath to my spouse the residue of my estate.

ARTICLE VII
FAMILY TRUST

     If my spouse does not survive me by sixty (60) days, I bequeath the residue of my estate, which shall be called the FAMILY TRUST, to the trustee hereinafter named, to be administered, together with property from any other source, as follows:

  1. Until there is no living child of mine under the age of twenty-five (25) years, my trustee shall pay to any child of mine or descendant of any deceased child of mine, such sums from the income or principal as my trustee deems advisable for his or her health, education, support, and maintenance. Any such payments need not be equal between or among my children and descendants of deceased children either as individuals or as separate groups, and their distributive shares shall not be charged therefor. Any income not distributed shall be added to the principal.

  2. When there is no living child of mine under the age of twenty-five (25) years, my trustee shall divide the trust into equal shares, one share for each then living child of mine, and one share for the then living descendants, collectively, of each deceased child of mine. My trustee shall distribute these shares to those living children and per stirpes to the descendants of each deceased child of mine and the trust shall terminate, limited only by the provisions of Paragraph C. of this Article.

 

This is not a substitute for legal advice.  An attorney must be consulted.
Copyright © 2003 - 2013 by LAWCHEK, LTD.

 

 
  1. If any share becomes distributional to a beneficiary who has not attained the age of twenty-five (25) years, the trustee shall retain possession of such share for the period that beneficiary is under the age of twenty-five (25) years. The trustee shall pay to him or her such sums from the income or principal of that share as it deems advisable for his or her health, education, support, and maintenance. Any income not distributed shall be added to the principal. When the beneficiary attains the age of twenty-five (25) years, the trustee shall distribute to him or her the balance of the principal and accumulated income then being held in his or her share. If a beneficiary should die before attaining the age of twenty-five (25) years, the balance of his or her share shall be distributed per stirpes to his or her descendants, if any, or if none, per stirpes to his or her then living brothers and sisters and the then living descendants, collectively, of each deceased brother and sister, if any, or if none, per stirpes to my descendants, limited only by the provisions contained in this paragraph. Each portion distributional to a person for whom a share of this FAMILY TRUST is being held shall be distributed to the trustee of that share and become a part thereof.

  2. Whenever income or principal is to be used for the benefit of a person under the age of eighteen (18) years or a person who, in the judgment of the trustee, is incapable of managing his or her own affairs, the trustee may make payment of such property in any or all of the following ways

    1. By paying such property to the parent, guardian, conservator, or other person having the care and control of such person under the age of eighteen (18) years for his or her benefit or to any authorized person as custodian for him or her under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act or equivalent legislation in                                    (state).

    2. By paying such property to the guardian, conservator or other person having the care and control of any incapacitated person.

    3. By paying directly to any such beneficiary such sums as the trustee may deem advisable as an allowance.

    4. By expending such property in such other manner as the trustee in its discretion believes will benefit any such beneficiary.

  3. No beneficiary shall have the power to sell, assign, transfer, encumber, or in any manner to anticipate or dispose of any interest created by this Article. The right to principal and income created by this Article shall not be liable to be reached in any manner by the creditors of, or holders of judgments against, any beneficiary.

  4. Should the circumstances of my death and my spouse's death result in the establishment of two substantially identical trusts, my trustee is authorized to combine the two trusts and administer them as though they had been one trust from the inception.

 

This is not a substitute for legal advice.  An attorney must be consulted.
Copyright © 2003 - 2013 by LAWCHEK, LTD.

 

 
  1. If the trustee determines that a trust has become reduced to the point that the continued administration of it has become unduly expensive and not in the best interests of the beneficiaries, the trustee shall distribute the balance of principal and accumulated income to the beneficiaries who are then entitled to receive the income or to have the income accumulated for their benefit. This authority to terminate shall extend to individual trust assets as well as to the trust as a whole if the trustee shall determine that continued administration of the individual trust asset is unduly burdensome or expensive to administer.

ARTICLE VIII
IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION;
RULE AGAINST PERPETUITIES

     If a part of my estate would, upon receipt by a trustee, be distributional immediately to a beneficiary, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, I direct that such part of my estate shall be distributed directly by my executor to said beneficiary.
     Each trust created under this Will shall in any event terminate twenty-one (21) years after the death of the last surviving member of the group consisting of my spouse and descendants who shall be living at the time of my death. On such termination, the trustee shall distribute the balance of the principal and accumulated income per stirpes to the beneficiaries then entitled to receive the income or to have the income accumulated for their benefit.

ARTICLE IX
REMOTE CONTINGENCY DISTRIBUTION

     If at any time before final distribution of any trust created hereunder, there shall not be in existence anyone who is, or might become, entitled to receive benefits under the foregoing provisions of this Will, then any portion of the trust estate then remaining shall be paid over and distributed outright in such proportions and to those heirs of mine as shall be determined as though I had died intestate, a resident of                                   (state).

ARTICLE X
APPOINTMENT, RESIGNATION AND SUCCESSION OF FIDUCIARIES

     I nominate my spouse,                                              , as executor and trustee. If my spouse should fail or cease to act as executor, I direct that                                          shall serve.
     Any trustee hereunder may resign by giving written notice to the beneficiaries to whom income could then be distributed. Such resignation shall take effect on such date, not earlier than thirty (30) days after the date of delivery of such written resignation, as shall be specified in such instrument of resignation unless an earlier effective date shall be agreed to by the income beneficiaries. Upon such resignation, the resigning trustee shall be relieved of any further duties and responsibilities and shall not be liable or responsible for the acts of any successor trustee.

 

This is not a substitute for legal advice.  An attorney must be consulted.
Copyright © 2003 - 2013 by LAWCHEK, LTD.

 

 

     If the trustee resigns or for any reason ceases to serve as trustee, then the adult
beneficiaries to whom income could then be distributed, together with the adult beneficiaries to
whom the principal would be distributed if the trust were then to terminate, may by majority action in writing appoint a successor trustee. If agreement of a majority of the beneficiaries cannot be obtained within sixty (60) days, a successor trustee shall be appointed by the court having general jurisdiction of the trust.
     Any successor trustee appointed hereunder shall have all the rights, powers, authorities and discretion herein conferred upon the original trustee. No successor trustee shall be obliged to inquire into or be in any way accountable for the previous administration of the trust property.
     No bond will be required of any executor or trustee appointed pursuant to this Will.
     To save expense and simplify procedure in my estate and trust estate, I direct that no guardian ad litem or similar proceedings shall be required. Any fiduciary shall be released and relieved from any further responsibility or liability for its acts occurring during a period for which it has received the written approval of the adult beneficiaries. The parent, legal guardian, or conservator of a beneficiary may represent such beneficiary. Any notice to or action by such parent, legal guardian, or conservator shall be binding on such beneficiary, and have the same effect as if delivered to or executed by an adult or competent beneficiary.

ARTICLE XI
CONCERNING THE EXECUTORS AND TRUSTEES

     I authorize my executor to file joint income or gift tax returns with my spouse, and in its discretion to pay any part or all of the taxes, interest, or penalties in connection with any such returns. The decision of my executor in this regard shall be conclusive. I authorize my executor to make such elections under the tax laws as my executor deems advisable, in each case without regard to the relative interests of the beneficiaries. My executor need not make adjustments between principal and income, or in the interests of the beneficiaries, to compensate for the effects of such elections. Any decision made by my executor with respect to the exercise of any tax election shall be binding and conclusive on all persons.
     I hereby authorize my executor or trustee, as the case may be, to make transfers to the custodian of any beneficiary under the age of twenty-one (21) years for the benefit of said beneficiary under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act or equivalent legislation in                                     (state).
     My executor shall have all other powers granted by me to my trustee in Article XIII and by the State Probate Code to fiduciaries. In addition, I empower my executor, without order of court and without notice to anyone to settle, compromise or pay any claim, including taxes, asserted in favor of or against me or my estate; and to permit any of the beneficiaries hereunder to enjoy the use in kind, during the administration of my estate, of any tangible personal property without liability on the part of the beneficiary for unintentional, non-negligent injury, consumption or loss of the property so used.

 

This is not a substitute for legal advice.  An attorney must be consulted.
Copyright © 2003 - 2013 by LAWCHEK, LTD.

 

 

ARTICLE XII
WAIVER OF COURT REPORTING

     I expressly waive any requirement that the trustee of any trust created by this Will qualify or file reports, either interim or final, with any court; provided, however, that the trustee or any beneficiary may invoke the jurisdiction of any proper court at any time it is deemed advisable. The trustee shall, at least annually, make an accounting to all beneficiaries, and the approval by a beneficiary, or his or her parent, legal guardian, or conservator, shall release and relieve the trustee from further responsibility or liability with respect to that beneficiary, and his or her heirs and assigns, for its actions during the period covered by the accounting.

ARTICLE XIII
POWERS OF TRUSTEE

     The trustee shall have all powers necessary for the proper administration of the trusts created by this Will that shall be in addition to those powers provided by the State Probate Code. In extension but not in limitation of any power otherwise possessed by the trustee, it shall have, without the necessity of notice to or approval of any court or person, the following powers:

  1. To retain any or all of the securities and properties transferred to or acquired by the trustee hereunder, so long as the trustee may deem such retention advisable or expedient, regardless of whether said securities and properties are of the kind and nature authorized by law for investment.

  2. To invest and reinvest the available funds of the trust estate in, or exchange trust assets for, such securities and properties as the trustee deems advisable
    regardless of whether such securities and properties are of the kind and class authorized by law. Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing, the trustee may invest or reinvest the available funds in, or exchange trust assets for, common and preferred corporate stocks, bonds, notes, debentures or other evidences of indebtedness or fractional interests in the same, interests in any kind of an investment trust or any beneficial participation units in any common trust fund maintained and operated by any corporate trustee acting hereunder, or in any other kind of real or personal property.

  3. To retain cash funds not invested for such reasonable periods of time as the trustee shall determine; to deposit cash funds as a general deposit in a special account in the deposit department of any corporate trustee acting hereunder without liability for interest thereon.

  4. To sell, grant options to buy, convey, transfer, assign, exchange, lease, mortgage, pledge or otherwise dispose of any or all of the properties of my trust estate, including real property, at such prices, on such terms, to such persons, in such portions, and in such manner as the trustee may in each case deem proper and advisable, and for terms extending beyond the administration of the trusts herein created.

 

This is not a substitute for legal advice.  An attorney must be consulted.
Copyright © 2003 - 2013 by LAWCHEK, LTD.

 

 
  1. To vote all stocks and exercise all rights incident to the ownership of stocks, bonds, or other securities or properties held in the trust estate and to issue proxies to vote such stocks and to exercise such rights; to enter into voting trusts for such period and upon such terms as the trustee may determine; to sell or exercise any and all subscription rights and stock options; to sell or retain any and all stock dividends; to consent to or join in any plan of reorganization, readjustment, merger, consolidation or liquidation in respect to any corporation whose stocks, bonds or other securities are a part of the trust estate, including becoming a member of any stockholders’ or bondholders’ committee; to accept and hold any new securities issued pursuant to any plan of reorganization, readjustment, merger, consolidation or liquidation; to pay any assessments on stocks or securities or to relinquish the same, and to otherwise exercise any and all rights and powers and deal in and with the securities and properties in the same manner and to the same extent as any individual owner and holder thereof might do.

  2. To hold securities and other properties in bearer form or in the name of a nominee or nominees without disclosing any fiduciary relationship; provided, however, that on the books and records of the fiduciary said securities and properties shall constantly be shown to be a part of the fiduciary estate, and no such registration or holding by the fiduciary shall relieve my trustee from liability for the safe custody and proper disposition of such securities and properties in accordance with the terms and provisions hereof.

  3. To employ such agents, experts and counsel as the trustee shall deem advisable, and to delegate discretionary powers to and rely upon such information or advice furnished by such agents, experts or counsel.

  4. To collect, receive and receipt for any principal or income, and to defend against, prosecute, adjust, compromise and settle debts, expenses, charges, taxes or claims by or against the trust estate, or any part thereof, or upon or relating to any of the assets thereof.

  5. To borrow money from the commercial department of the corporate trustee, or elsewhere, for the purpose of paying taxes or for any other purpose incidental to the administration of the trust estate, or for the protection and preservation of the assets thereof, and to mortgage or pledge any assets of the trust estate for the payment thereof.

  6. To receive from any source additions to the assets of the trust estate acceptable to the trustee and to hold the same as a part thereof.

  7. To purchase or retain and pay premiums on life insurance polices on the life of a beneficiary of the FAMILY TRUST and to exercise all incidents of ownership; provided, however, that only the corporate trustee, if any, shall exercise this power as to any policies where the insured is a trustee or co-trustee.

 

This is not a substitute for legal advice.  An attorney must be consulted.
Copyright © 2003 - 2013 by LAWCHEK, LTD.

 

 
  1. To make division or distribution, whenever required by this Will, in whole or in part in money, securities or other property, and in undivided interests therein, and to continue to hold any remaining undivided interest in any trust hereunder. In any division or distribution, the judgment of the trustee concerning the propriety thereof and except where a standard or method of valuation is otherwise prescribed by this Will or by law, the valuation of the properties and securities concerned, shall be binding and conclusive on all persons in interest.

  2. To determine what is principal and what is income of any trust and in the trustee's discretion, but as a fiduciary, to allocate or apportion receipts and expenses between principal and income, except that all premiums shall be charged and all discounts credited against or to the principal, as the case may be, and not against or to income, and except, further, that all dividends paid in stock of the paying corporation shall be considered principal.

  3. To hold the assets of the several trusts, shares or portions of trust created by this Will as a single fund for joint investment and management, without the need for physical segregation, dividing the income proportionately among them.
    Segregation of the various trusts, shares or portions need only be made on the books of the trustee for accounting purposes.

  4. To receive on behalf of the trustee from income or principal, or both, reasonable compensation for trustee's services under this Will, and to pay all reasonable expenses and charges of the trust or trusts.

  5. To merge, without court action, the FAMILY TRUST into or with any other share or trust created under this or any other document, wherein the beneficiaries, distribution of income and principal, ultimate method of distribution, and all other administrative terms and provisions are substantially similar. The trustee may select the trust instrument under which the single resulting trust shall be administered; provided, however, that the trust instrument having the earliest effective rule against perpetuities savings clause shall be the one selected. The decision of the trustee in this regard shall be conclusive on all parties in interest.

  6. To change the situs of the trust estate.

ARTICLE XIV
GUARDIANS OF MINOR CHILDREN

     Should it become necessary to appoint a guardian of the person of a minor child, it is my desire that                                          be appointed to serve in that capacity. If                                          shall fail or decline to serve in such capacity for any reason, it is my desire that                                          be appointed guardian.

 

This is not a substitute for legal advice.  An attorney must be consulted.
Copyright © 2003 - 2013 by LAWCHEK, LTD.

 

 

ARTICLE XV
DEFINITIONS

     The provisions herein contained shall be supplemented by and when necessary shall be subject to the following:

  1. The singular expression "executor," "trustee," "descendant," "beneficiary," or "person," and any other singular words, shall include the plural, and plural expressions shall include the singular, and the context of this instrument shall be read, accordingly, when the facts require it.

  2. "Trustee" shall be taken to refer to the trustee or trustees for the time being in office and shall include a successor trustee or trustees, whether so expressed or not. All provisions herein made with respect to the rights, powers, duties and obligations of the trustees shall extend to and bind any and all successor trustees.

  3. The feminine, masculine or neuter pronoun shall be taken to refer to the person or persons intended regardless of number or gender, and a singular pronoun may be taken to express a plural pronoun and a plural pronoun may be taken to express a singular pronoun when the facts require it.

  4. All adopted persons who were adopted at a time they were less than eighteen (18) years of age shall have the same status and rights as natural born persons under this Will and all provisions thereof.

  5. References herein to provisions of the Internal Revenue Code shall include substantially similar provisions of any subsequent enactment, provided the overall dispositive arrangement is not substantially changed as a result thereof.

 

     I subscribe this my Will on the               day of                                    , yr           , before two (2) witnesses, and declare this instrument, consisting of                                  (         ) pages, including                      page, to be my Will.

Dated this                   day of                                         , yr             .

 

                                       
TESTATOR

 

 

This is not a substitute for legal advice.  An attorney must be consulted.
Copyright © 2003 - 2013 by LAWCHEK, LTD.

 

 

 

ATTESTATION CLAUSE

 

     In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on this               day of                               , A.D., yr             .

 

                                      
(Signature)

 

     The foregoing instrument was on the day of the date thereof signed, published and declared by                                                                             , as, and for, his/her Last Will and Testament in the presence of us, the undersigned, who at his/her request and in his/her sight and presence and in the sight and presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.

 

                                                                             
Signature of Witness                                       
Address
                                                                             
Signature of Witness                                       
Address

 

 

 

 

 

This is not a substitute for legal advice.  An attorney must be consulted.
Copyright © 2003 - 2013 by LAWCHEK, LTD.

 

 

 

SELF-PROVED WILL

STATE OF                                        )
)ss
COUNTY OF                                        )

     We, the undersigned,                                        (Testator),                                        (Witness) and                                        (Witness), the Testator and the witnesses respectively, whose names are signed to the attached or foregoing instrument, being first duly sworn, declare to the undersigned authority that said instrument is the Testator’s Last Will and Testament, dated                                    , and that the Testator willingly signed and executed such instrument, or expressly directed another to sign the same in the presence of the witnesses, as a free and voluntary act for the purposes therein expressed; that said witnesses, and each of them, declared to the undersigned authority that such Will was executed and acknowledged by the Testator as the Testator’s Last Will and Testament in their presence and that they, in the Testator’s presence, at the Testator’s request, and in the presence of each other, did subscribe their names thereto as attesting witnesses on the date of the date of such Last Will and Testament; and that the Testator, at the time of the execution of such instrument, was of full age and of sound mind and that the witnesses were of the required statutory age or older and otherwise competent to be witnesses.

                                      
TESTATOR
                                      
WITNESS
                                      
WITNESS

     Subscribed, sworn and acknowledged before me by                                       , the Testator, and subscribed and sworn before me by                                        and                                  , witnesses, this           day of                             ,           .

                                                               
NOTARY PUBLIC, or other Officer authorized to take
and certify acknowledgments and administer oaths

 

This is not a substitute for legal advice.  An attorney must be consulted.
Copyright © 2003 - 2013 by LAWCHEK, LTD.

 

This is not a substitute for legal advice.  An attorney must be consulted.
Copyright © 2003 - 2013 by LAWCHEK, LTD.

BACK TO BLANK LEGAL FORMS MENU

 

LAWCHEK® Home Lawsonline™ Home

Please contact us with any questions or comments by e-mail at webmaster@lawchek.net
or by phone at 1-800-529-5121.

Membership Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy
Disclaimer

This site produced and powered by enlighten technologies, inc™.
COPYRIGHT © 1994 - 2013 enlighten technologies incorporated™