2022 Colorado Code
Title 15 - Probate, Trusts, and Fiduciaries
Article 2.5 - Uniform Powers of Appointment Act
Part 2 - Creation, Revocation, and Amendment of Power of Appointment
§ 15-2.5-204. Exception to Presumption of Unlimited Authority

1. Unless the terms of the instrument creating a power of appointment manifest a contrary intent, the power is nongeneral if:
   1. The power is exercisable only at the powerholder's death; and
   2. The permissible appointees of the power are a defined and limited class that does not include the powerholder's estate, the powerholder's creditors, or the creditors of the powerholder's estate.

Source: L. 2014: Entire article added, (HB 14-1353), ch. 209, p. 775, § 1, effective July 1, 2015.

This section is designed to remedy a recurring drafting mistake. A testamentary power of appointment created in a defined and limited class that happens to include the powerholder is usually intended to be a nongeneral power. For example, a testamentary power created in one of the donor's descendants (such as the donor's child or grandchild) to appoint among the donor's "descendants" or "issue" is typically intended to be a nongeneral power. See, for example, PLR 201229005 (stating the ruling of the Internal Revenue Service that a testamentary power of appointment in the donor's son, exercisable in favor of the donor's "issue," is a nongeneral power for purposes of 26 U.S.C. § 2041). Accordingly, the presumption of this Section is that such a power is nongeneral.

On the meaning of the well-accepted term of art "defined and limited," see the Comment to Section 205. See also Restatement Third of Property: Wills and Other Donative Transfers § 17.5, Comment c.