Virginia Code 64.2-746: Discretionary trusts; effect of standard
A. In this section, “child” includes any person for whom an order or judgment for child support has been entered in this or another state.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 64.2-746
- Ascertainable standard: means a standard relating to an individual's health, education, support, or maintenance within the meaning of § 2041(b)(1)(A) or 2514(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and any applicable regulations. See Virginia Code 64.2-701
- 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
- Beneficiary: means a person that (i) has a present or future, vested or contingent, beneficial interest in a trust; (ii) holds a power of appointment over trust property; or (iii) is an identified charitable organization that will or may receive distributions under the terms of the trust. See Virginia Code 64.2-701
- Court: means the court of the Commonwealth having jurisdiction in matters related to trusts. See Virginia Code 64.2-701
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Includes: means includes, but not limited to. See Virginia Code 1-218
- Person: means an individual; estate; business or nonprofit entity; government; governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality; public corporation; or other legal entity. See Virginia Code 64.2-701
- Spendthrift provision: means a term of a trust that restrains both voluntary and involuntary transfer of a beneficiary's interest. See Virginia Code 64.2-701
- State: means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See Virginia Code 64.2-701
- Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
- Trustee: includes an original, additional, and successor trustee and a cotrustee. See Virginia Code 64.2-701
B. Except as otherwise provided in subsection C and § 64.2-745, whether or not a trust contains a spendthrift provision, a creditor of a beneficiary may not compel a distribution that is subject to the trustee‘s discretion, even if:
1. The discretion is expressed in the form of a standard of distribution; or
2. The trustee has abused the discretion.
C. To the extent a trustee has not complied with a standard of distribution or has abused a discretion:
1. A distribution may be ordered by the court to satisfy a judgment or court order against the beneficiary for support or maintenance of the beneficiary’s child; and
2. The court shall direct the trustee to pay to the child such amount as is equitable under the circumstances but not more than the amount the trustee would have been required to distribute to or for the benefit of the beneficiary had the trustee complied with the standard or not abused the discretion.
D. This section does not limit the right of a beneficiary to maintain a judicial proceeding against a trustee for an abuse of discretion or failure to comply with a standard for distribution.
E. A creditor may not reach the interest of a beneficiary who is also a trustee or cotrustee, or otherwise compel a distribution, if the trustee’s discretion to make distributions for the trustee’s own benefit is limited by an ascertainable standard.