(a) Except as otherwise provided in the terms of the trust, this chapter governs the duties and powers of a trustee, relations among trustees, and the rights and interests of a beneficiary.

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Terms Used In Alabama Code 19-3B-105

  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • Irrevocable trust: A trust arrangement that cannot be revoked, rescinded, or repealed by the grantor.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
(b) The terms of a trust prevail over any provision of this chapter except:

(1) the requirements for creating a trust;
(2) the duty of a trustee to act in good faith and in accordance with the terms and purposes of the trust and the interest of the beneficiaries;
(3) 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, not contrary to public policy, and possible to achieve;
(4) the power of the court to modify or terminate a trust under Sections 19-3B-410 through 19-3B-416;
(5) the effect of a spendthrift provision and the rights of certain creditors and assignees to reach a trust as provided in Article 5;
(6) the power of the court under Section 19-3B-702 to require, dispense with, or modify or terminate a bond;
(7) the power of the court under Section 19-3B-708(b) to adjust a trustee’s compensation, as specified in the terms of the trust or by written agreement, which is unreasonably low or high;
(8) the duty under Section 19-3B-813(a)(2) to respond to the request of a qualified beneficiary of an irrevocable trust for trustee’s reports and other information reasonably related to the administration of a trust;
(9) the effect of an exculpatory term under Section 19-3B-1008;
(10) the rights under Sections 19-3B-1010 through 19-3B-1013 of a person other than a trustee or beneficiary;
(11) periods of limitation for commencing a judicial proceeding;
(12) the power of the court to take such action and exercise such jurisdiction as may be necessary in the interests of justice; and
(13) a proceeding as provided in Sections 19-3B-203 through 19-3B-205.