2016 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 45a - Probate Courts and Procedure
Chapter 802c - Trusts
Section 45a-519 - (Formerly Sec. 45-79a). Superior Court or Probate Court jurisdiction to reform instruments to federal tax requirements.

(a) If any deduction under Section 170, Section 2055 or Section 2522 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is not allowable with respect to any interest in property passing under any will, trust agreement or other governing instrument to a person, or for a use, described in Section 170(c), Section 2055(a) or Section 2522(a) and (b) of said code because such interest shall fail to comply with the requirements of Section 170(f)(2), Section 2055(e)(2) or Section 2522(c)(2) of said code, the Superior Court, or the Probate Court if the trust or estate is otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of the Probate Court, or with respect to an inter vivos trust, if that trust is or could be subject to the jurisdiction of the court for an accounting pursuant to section 45a-175, provided such an accounting need not be required, shall have jurisdiction over any action brought to reform such will, trust agreement or other governing instrument in accordance with the provisions of Section 170(f)(7), Section 2055(e)(3) or Section 2522(c)(4) of said code so that such deduction may be allowed under the applicable provisions of said code. All references contained in this section to any section of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall mean that section of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended.

(b) The Superior Court or the Probate Court shall be empowered to reform any such will, trust agreement or other governing instrument only to the extent necessary in order to ensure the allowance of any deduction described in subsection (a) of this section, and only to the extent the court finds that such reformation is consistent with the original intent of the testator or donor.

(c) This section shall not be construed to effect a change in any dispositive provisions of the governing instrument as provided in section 45a-514.

(d) Any reformation of any will, trust agreement or other governing instrument in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be effective whether or not a disclaimer has been filed within the period of time specified in sections 45a-578 to 45a-585, inclusive.

(e) This section shall be applicable to any action commenced on or after July 18, 1984.

(P.A. 75-207, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-436, S. 1, 2; P.A. 79-43; P.A. 80-122; P.A. 81-42, S. 1, 2; P.A. 83-24, S. 1, 2; P.A. 85-523, S. 3, 9; P.A. 89-211, S. 46; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-11, S. 32, 70; P.A. 98-219, S. 7.)

History: P.A. 77-436 revised dates in Subsec. (a), substituting “December 31, 1977” for “September 21, 1974” re date of execution of will or creation of trust and for “December 31, 1975” re date action brought to conform instrument to requirements of Internal Revenue Code and added Subsec. (f) re effect of failure to file disclaimer within time specified in Ch. 798; P.A. 79-43 changed year from 1977 to 1978 in Subsec. (a) re date of action brought to conform instrument to Internal Revenue Code requirements; P.A. 80-122 changed year to 1980 in provision re date of action brought to conform instrument to Code; P.A. 81-42 amended Subsec (a) to change date applicable to execution of will or creation of trust from December 31, 1977, to December 31, 1978, and date applicable to actions subject to court jurisdiction to conform will or trust to meet federal requirements from December 31, 1980, to December 31, 1981; P.A. 83-24 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting references to decedent whose death occurs after December 31, 1969, and to any action brought on or before December 31, 1981, and added references to Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code and provision re jurisdiction of superior court over any action brought within the time provided in Section 2055(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954; P.A. 85-523 entirely revised section, removing limitation of execution of will or creation of trust before December 31, 1978, and making revised provisions applicable to any action commenced on or after July 18, 1984; P.A. 89-211 clarified reference to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; Sec. 45-79a transferred to Sec. 45a-519 in 1991; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-11 amended Subsec. (a) to delete redundant language re any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States; P.A. 98-219 added provisions applying section to Probate Court.

See Sec. 45a-485 re reformation of instrument to ensure allowance of marital deduction.

Annotations to former section 45-79a:

Cited. 9 CA 825.

Cited. 39 CS 80.