Morris Hall, PLLC

Estate Planning Attorneys

MakePayment with multiple options
CALL NOW: 1 (888) 222-1328
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • Attorneys
    • Morris Hall Core Values
    • Communities We Serve
      • Arizona
        • Carefree
        • Flagstaff
        • Mesa
        • Oro Valley
        • Phoenix
        • Prescott
        • Scottsdale
        • Sedona
        • Tucson
      • New Mexico
        • Albuquerque
        • Las Cruces
        • Santa Fe
    • Our Team
    • Published Books
      • Don’t Go Broke in a Nursing home
      • Tax Free Money for Long-Term Care!
    • Testimonials
  • Our Services
    • Asset Protection
    • Probate
    • Tax Planning
    • Trusts
    • Trust Administration
    • Wills
    • Videos
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Do I Need an Estate Plan?
    • Elder Law Reports
    • Elder Law Resources
      • Albuquerque Elder Law
      • Las Cruces Elder Law
      • Phoenix Elder Law
      • Santa Fe Elder Law
      • Tucson Elder Law
    • Estate Planning Problems
    • FAQs
    • Probate Resources
      • Albuquerque Probate
      • Flagstaff Probate
      • Las Cruces Probate
      • Phoenix Probate
      • Sedona Probate
      • Tucson Probate
    • Recent Law Changes and Improvements Affecting Arizona and New Mexico
      • Update My Living Trust
    • Reports
    • What to Do When Death Occurs
      • What Not To Do When Someone Dies
      • Who To Contact After A Loved Ones Death
  • Reviews
    • Testimonials
    • Review Us
  • Locations
  • Events
    • Upcoming Webinars
    • Past Webinar Recordings
  • Contact Us

What is a Special Co-Trustee?

July 11, 2014 by Morris Hall, PLLC Leave a Comment

Many revocable living trusts have provisions for a special co-trustee, but not many people know what a special co-trustee is or what purpose it serves. In general, the special co-trustee is an independent party that can play a critical role in trust administration. For example, if there is a dispute between a successor trustee and a beneficiary, a special co-trustee may settle the dispute unilaterally or submit the dispute to mediation, arbitration or the court. The special co-trustee may also make important decisions to protect the trust, such as amending the trust to take advantage of a tax law change.

To be clear, the special co-trustee is not the trustee of your trust. The special co-trustee is best viewed as a protector of your trust and an intermediary between trustees and beneficiaries. The special co-trustee is limited to protecting the trust and does not have any authority over the routine administration of your trust. Unfortunately, needs and circumstances change over time and it’s impossible to foresee every situation. By having a special co-trustee, your trust has much more flexibility when these instances occur. You may name a special co-trustee in your trust; typically, however, a special co-trustee is selected by a majority of the successor trustees appointed under your trust.

The special co-trustee should be an independent party whom you feel can work well with your successor trustees and your beneficiaries, and who is knowledgeable about estate planning laws and regulations; and/or, who is capable of seeking professional help when needed.  To that end, the special co-trustee should not be related to any of your family members or the family of any beneficiary.

Please contact the law offices of Morris Hall if you have any questions about the role of a special co-trustee.

Phoenix, AZ Estate and Trust Lawyer Darren RichardsonContributed by MH Phoenix Estate Planning Attorney Darren L. Richardson.

Morris Hall Can Protect You in Today’s Litigious Society:
We live in a litigious society, where over 1 million lawsuits are filed every year in America alone.  Financial predators are looking for ways to take funds from others and often use litigation as their means to do so.  At Morris Hall we provide your assets and your loved ones with important protections that can prevent financial predators from taking advantage of you.  We do this through proper and current estate planning techniques.  With an MH living trust, we can also protect your property, assets and loved ones from probate, estate taxes, gift taxes, creditors, Medicaid spend-down, conservatorship or guardianship proceedings, ex-spouses and more.  A living trust also keeps your asset and beneficiary information private and secure to avoid giving financial predators information to use against you and your family.  Without a living trust, this information will be made public.  For those living in Arizona, we serve the areas of Phoenix, Mesa, Gilbert, Fountain Hills, Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Prescott, Flagstaff, Sedona, Tucson, Sonoita, Arrowhead, Avondale, Goodyear and Tempe.  In New Mexico we serve the areas of Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, White Rock, Alamogordo, Truth or Consequences and more.  Contact us today at 888.222.1328 to schedule an appointment with an attorney in your area!

This blog should be used for informational purposes only.  It does not create an attorney-client relationship with any reader and should not be construed as legal advice.  If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney in your community who can assess the specifics of your situation.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Morris Hall, PLLC
Morris Hall, PLLC
Morris Hall, PLLC
Latest posts by Morris Hall, PLLC (see all)
  • Advance Directive: Do I Need One? - May 24, 2022
  • Probate vs. Non-Probate Assets - May 17, 2022
  • How to Spot the Signs of Nursing Home Abuse - May 16, 2022

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

MH logo

Main Office

7600 N 16th St, Ste 105

Phoenix, AZ 85020

Phone: 602-249-1328

Fax: 602-248-2887

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

For a sample Click Here

Offices

Our law firm has offices in Arizona and New Mexico. See all of our locations here.

Our law firm has offices in Arizona and New Mexico. See all of our locations here.

Toll Free: 888-222-1328

Mon-Thur: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Fri: 8:00am – 4:00pm

  • Linkedin
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube

Need an Estate Planning Lawyer Near You?

Looking for an estate planning lawyer near you? We have office locations in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, West Valley, Carefree, Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff, Tucson, and Oro Valley in Arizona. In New Mexico, we have office locations in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Las Cruces, so please visit us at the location that is closest to you.

  • © 2022 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc All rights reserved.
  • Disclaimer