Morris Hall, PLLC

Estate Planning Attorneys

MakePayment with multiple options
CALL NOW: 1 (888) 222-1328
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Morris Hall
    • Attorneys
    • Our Team
    • Morris Hall Core Values
    • Communities We Serve
      • Arizona
        • Carefree
        • Flagstaff
        • Mesa
        • Oro Valley
        • Phoenix
        • Prescott
        • Scottsdale
        • Sedona
        • Tucson
    • Career Opportunities
  • Our Services
    • Asset Protection
    • Probate
    • Tax Planning
    • Trusts
    • Trust Administration
    • Wills
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Do I Need an Estate Plan?
    • Elder Law Reports
    • Elder Law Resources
      • Phoenix Elder Law
      • Tucson Elder Law
    • Estate Planning Problems
    • FAQs
    • Probate Resources
      • Probate
      • Flagstaff Probate
      • Phoenix Probate
      • Sedona Probate
      • Tucson Probate
    • Published Books
      • Don’t Go Broke in a Nursing home
      • Tax Free Money for Long-Term Care!
    • Recent Law Changes and Improvements Affecting Arizona
      • Update My Living Trust
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • 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
    • Seminars / Webinars
    • Past Webinar Recordings
  • Contact
    • Consultation Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Discounts

A “Trust”: Means What?

September 16, 2014 by Morris Hall, PLLC Leave a Comment

Have you ever wondered why a trust is called a trust?  I have been asked this question on a few occasions.  My answer, although generic as it sounds, is because you are trusting someone with your property.  So recently I embarked on a journey to discover the etymology (bonus word of the day – means “history”) of the legal word trust.  I have to say I was a little disappointed with my findings.  I did not find an interesting story where someone with the last name Trust won a famous court battle like the landmark case Miranda v. Arizona, (which is why we are given a Miranda Warning when taken into custody) or Crummey v. Commissioner (there is a letter done with certain types of trusts called Crummey Notices).  What I did learn is that a trust is called a trust because a person is entrusting their property to a third party to safe guard it based on their wishes.  So my anecdotal definition is pretty right on!

However, I learned some fun facts about the word trust that may be useful to you if you are ever on Jeopardy.  For instances, the word “trust” is found in the King James Version of the Bible 134 times.  One of the most famous versus being “Trust in the lord with all thine heart, and lean not to your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge GOD and he will direct your path.”  Proverb 3:5-6 King James Version. (http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/emagazine/010.html)

According to Merriam-Webster online, the first known use of the word was in the 13th century.  It stems from the old Norse traust, from traustr.  Additionally, it can be used both as a verb and a noun.  Click here to see more..

Trust was first used in the legal context in the middle ages.  Most notably, when a trust was used to help transfer land within the family because of the “burdensome feudal landholding rules,” which would allow for the land only to pass to blood descendants.  So this allowed a husband to leave his land to his wife but transferring the land to a trustee who would hold the land in trust for the wife.  The husband would have a life estate and upon his passing the trustee would transfer the land to the wife.  It also provided a way for Franciscans (a group of people who vow a life of poverty, most notably the Order of Friars Minor) to own land by having a trustee own the land and give them a life estate.   Click here to see full article.

As disappointing as this was not finding a “Mr. Trust”, I can at least now answer the question about why a trust is called a trust with confidence that my original, generic answer is the best answer possible.  And if you are ever on Jeopardy, you can hope for a category  titled Trust.

Contributed by an MH Phoenix Estate Planning Attorney.

What the Attorneys of Morris Hall Can Do For You:
The attorneys at Morris Hall have 100’s of years of combined experience ensuring that families’ assets are protected from probate, unnecessary taxes, creditors, ex-spouses and Medicaid spend-down.  The attorneys also help those in Arizona to apply for and receive Medicaid assistance and Veterans Benefits.  Our Arizona offices are located in Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Tucson, Prescott, Flagstaff and Arrowhead.    Contact us today at 888.222.1328 to schedule an appointment!

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)
  • Who Pays for Administering a Trust? - February 5, 2023
  • What Is a Senior Life Settlement? - January 27, 2023
  • Most Used Estate Planning Documents - January 26, 2023

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 proudly serves many areas in Arizona. See all of our locations here.

Our law firm proudly serves the state of Arizona.  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
  • Instagram

Need an Estate Planning Lawyer in Arizona?

Looking for an estate planning attorney near you? We have office locations in Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, West Valley, Carefree, Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff, Tucson, and Oro Valley in Arizona so please visit us at the location that is closest to you.

  • © 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc All rights reserved.
  • Disclaimer