Whether or not the trust instrument contains a spendthrift provision, the following rules shall apply:
(1) During the lifetime of the settlor, the property of a revocable trust shall be subject to claims of the settlor's creditors;
(2) With respect to an irrevocable trust, creditors or assignees of the settlor may reach the maximum amount that can be distributed to or for the settlor's benefit during the settlor's life or that could have been distributed to or for the settlor's benefit immediately prior to the settlor's death. If a trust has more than one settlor, the amount the creditors or assignees of a particular settlor may reach shall not exceed the settlor's interest in the portion of the trust attributable to that settlor's contribution; and
(3) After the death of a settlor, and subject to the settlor's right to direct the source from which liabilities shall be paid, the property of a trust that was revocable at the settlor's death or had become irrevocable as a result of the settlor's incapacity shall be subject to claims of the settlor's creditors to the extent the probate estate is inadequate. Payments that would not be subject to the claims of the settlor's creditors if made by way of beneficiary designation to persons other than the settlor's estate shall not be made subject to such claims by virtue of this Code section unless otherwise provided in the trust instrument.
Section: Previous 53-12-80 53-12-81 53-12-82 53-12-83 NextLast modified: October 14, 2016