2018 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 701. Trusts.
701.0701 Accepting or declining trusteeship.
701.0701 Accepting or declining trusteeship.
(1) Except as provided in sub. (3), a person designated as trustee accepts the trusteeship by doing any of the following:
(a) Substantially complying with a method of acceptance provided in the terms of the trust.
(b) If the terms of the trust do not provide a method or the method provided in the terms is not expressly made exclusive, by accepting delivery of the trust property, exercising powers or performing duties as trustee, or otherwise indicating acceptance of the trusteeship.
(2) A person designated as trustee who has not yet accepted the trusteeship may decline the trusteeship. A designated trustee who does not accept the trusteeship within a reasonable time after knowing of the designation is considered to have rejected the trusteeship.
(3) A person designated as trustee, without accepting the trusteeship, may do any of the following:
(a) Act to preserve the trust property if, within a reasonable time after acting, the person sends a declination of the trusteeship in writing to the settlor or, if the settlor is dead or incapacitated, to the designated cotrustee, or, if none, to the successor trustee, or, if none, to a distributee or a permissible distributee of the trust.
(b) Inspect or investigate trust property to determine potential liability under environmental or other law or for any other purpose.
History: 2013 a. 92.
