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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>80693</law_id><section_number>64.2-701</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>64.2-1033</reference><reference>64.2-1038</reference><reference>64.2-1041</reference><reference>64.2-1042</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="64.2">Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Trusts</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="7">Uniform Trust Code</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions and Definitions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;Action,&#x201D; with respect to an act of a trustee, includes a failure to act.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Appointive property</span>&#x201D; means the property or property interest subject to a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Ascertainable standard</span>&#x201D; means a standard relating to an individual&#x2019;s health, education, support, or maintenance within the meaning of &#xA7;&#xA0;2041(b)(1)(A) or 2514(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and any applicable regulations.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Authorized fiduciary</span>&#x201D; means (i) a trustee or other fiduciary, other than a settlor, that has discretion to distribute or direct a trustee to distribute part or all of the income or principal of the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span> to one or more current beneficiaries and that is not (a) a <span class="dictionary">current beneficiary</span> of the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span> or a beneficiary to which the net income or principal of the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span> would be distributed if the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span> were terminated, (b) a trustee of the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span> that may be removed and replaced by a <span class="dictionary">current beneficiary</span> who has the power to remove the existing trustee of the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span> and designate as successor trustee a <span class="dictionary">person</span> that may be a related or subordinate <span class="dictionary">party</span>, as defined in 26 U.S.C. &#xA7;&#xA0;672(c), with respect to such <span class="dictionary">current beneficiary</span>, or (c) an individual trustee whose legal obligation to support a beneficiary may be satisfied by distributions of income and principal of the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span>; (ii) a special fiduciary appointed under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Court involvement" href="/64.2-779.6/">64.2-779.6</a>; or (iii) a special-needs fiduciary under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Trust for beneficiary with disability" href="/64.2-779.10/">64.2-779.10</a>.
		&#x201C;Beneficiary&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> that (i) has a present or future, vested or contingent, beneficial interest in a trust; (ii) holds a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> over trust property; or (iii) is an identified <span class="dictionary">charitable organization</span> that <span class="dictionary">will</span> or may receive distributions under the terms of the trust.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Charitable interest</span>&#x201D; means an interest in a trust that (i) is held by an identified <span class="dictionary">charitable organization</span> and makes the organization a <span class="dictionary">qualified beneficiary</span>; (ii) benefits only <span class="dictionary">charitable organizations</span> and, if the interest were held by an identified <span class="dictionary">charitable organization</span>, would make the organization a <span class="dictionary">qualified beneficiary</span>; or (iii) is held solely for <span class="dictionary">charitable purposes</span> and, if the interest were held by an identified <span class="dictionary">charitable organization</span>, would make the organization a <span class="dictionary">qualified beneficiary</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Charitable organization</span>&#x201D; means (i) a <span class="dictionary">person</span>, other than an individual, organized and operated exclusively for <span class="dictionary">charitable purposes</span> or (ii) a government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, to the extent that it holds funds exclusively for a <span class="dictionary">charitable purpose</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Charitable purpose</span>&#x201D; means the relief of poverty, the advancement of education or religion, the promotion of health, a municipal or other governmental purpose, or another purpose the achievement of which is beneficial to the community.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Charitable trust</span>&#x201D; means a trust, or portion of a trust, created for a <span class="dictionary">charitable purpose</span> described in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Charitable purposes; enforcement" href="/64.2-723/">64.2-723</a>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Conservator</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> appointed by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> to administer the estate of an adult individual.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Court</span>&#x201D; means the <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the Commonwealth having <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> in matters related to trusts.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Current beneficiary</span>&#x201D; means a beneficiary that on the date the beneficiary&#x2019;s qualification is determined is a distributee or permissible distributee of trust income or principal. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Current beneficiary</span>&#x201D; includes the holder of a presently exercisable <span class="dictionary">general <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span></span> but does not include a <span class="dictionary">person</span> that is a beneficiary only because the <span class="dictionary">person</span> holds any other <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Decanting power</span>&#x201D; means the power of an <span class="dictionary">authorized fiduciary</span> under the Uniform Trust Decanting Act (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Scope" href="/64.2-779.1/">64.2-779.1</a> et seq.) to distribute property of a <span class="dictionary">first trust</span> to one or more <span class="dictionary">second trusts</span> or to modify the terms of the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Directed trustee</span>&#x201D; means a trustee that is subject to a <span class="dictionary">trust director</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">power of direction</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Electronic</span>&#x201D; means relating to technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or similar capabilities.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Environmental law</span>&#x201D; means a federal, <span class="dictionary">state</span>, or local law, rule, regulation, or <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> relating to protection of the environment.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Expanded distributive discretion</span>&#x201D; means a discretionary power of distribution that is not limited to an <span class="dictionary">ascertainable standard</span> or a <span class="dictionary">reasonably definite standard</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">First trust</span>&#x201D; means a trust over which an <span class="dictionary">authorized fiduciary</span> may exercise the <span class="dictionary">decanting power</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">First-<span class="dictionary">trust instrument</span></span>&#x201D; means the <span class="dictionary">trust instrument</span> for a <span class="dictionary">first trust</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">General <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span></span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> exercisable in favor of a <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span>, the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span>&#x2019;s estate, a <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> of the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span>, or a <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> of the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span>&#x2019;s estate.
		&#x201C;Guardian&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> appointed by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> to make decisions regarding the support, care, education, health, and welfare of a <span class="dictionary">minor</span> or adult individual. The term does not include a <span class="dictionary">guardian ad litem</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Guardian of the estate</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> appointed by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> to administer the estate of a <span class="dictionary">minor</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Interests of the beneficiaries</span>&#x201D; means the beneficial interests provided in the terms of the trust.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Jurisdiction</span>,&#x201D; with respect to a geographic area, includes a <span class="dictionary">state</span> or country.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Person</span>&#x201D; means an individual; estate; business or nonprofit entity; government; governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality; public corporation; or other legal entity.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Powerholder</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> in which a donor creates a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Power of appointment</span>&#x201D; means a power that enables a <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span> acting in a nonfiduciary capacity to designate a recipient of an ownership interest in or another <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> over the <span class="dictionary">appointive property</span>. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Power of appointment</span>&#x201D; does not include a <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Power of direction</span>&#x201D; means a power over a trust granted to a <span class="dictionary">person</span> by the terms of the trust to the extent the power is exercisable while the <span class="dictionary">person</span> is not serving as a trustee. The term includes a power over the investment, management, or distribution of trust property or other matters of trust administration. The term excludes the powers described in subsection A of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Exclusions" href="/64.2-779.28/">64.2-779.28</a>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Power of withdrawal</span>&#x201D; means a presently exercisable <span class="dictionary">general <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span></span> other than a power exercisable by a trustee that is limited by an <span class="dictionary">ascertainable standard</span>, or that is exercisable by another <span class="dictionary">person</span> only upon consent of the trustee or a <span class="dictionary">person</span> holding an adverse interest.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Presently exercisable <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span></span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> exercisable by the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span> at the relevant time. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Presently exercisable <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span></span>&#x201D; includes a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> exercisable only after the occurrence of a specified event, the satisfaction of an <span class="dictionary">ascertainable standard</span>, or the passage of a specified time, only after (i) the occurrence of the specified event, (ii) the satisfaction of the <span class="dictionary">ascertainable standard</span>, or (iii) the passage of the specified time. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Presently exercisable <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span></span>&#x201D; does not include a power exercisable only at the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span>&#x2019;s death.
		&#x201C;Property&#x201D; means anything that may be the subject of ownership, whether real or personal, legal or <span class="dictionary">equitable</span>, or any interest therein.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Qualified beneficiary</span>&#x201D; means a beneficiary who, on the date the beneficiary&#x2019;s qualification is determined, (i) is a distributee or permissible distributee of trust income or principal; (ii) would be a distributee or permissible distributee of trust income or principal if the interests of the distributees described in clause (i) terminated on that date without causing the trust to terminate; or (iii) would be a distributee or permissible distributee of trust income or principal if the trust terminated on that date.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Reasonably definite standard</span>&#x201D; means a clearly measurable standard under which a holder of a power of distribution is legally accountable within the meaning of &#xA7;&#xA0;674(b)(5)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and any applicable regulations.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Record</span>&#x201D; means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an <span class="dictionary">electronic</span> or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.
		&#x201C;Revocable,&#x201D; as applied to a trust, means revocable by the settlor without the consent of the trustee or a <span class="dictionary">person</span> holding an adverse interest.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Second trust</span>&#x201D; means (i) a <span class="dictionary">first trust</span> after modification, including a restatement of the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span>, under the Uniform Trust Decanting Act (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Scope" href="/64.2-779.1/">64.2-779.1</a> et seq.) or (ii) a trust to which a distribution of property from a <span class="dictionary">first trust</span> is or may be made under the Uniform Trust Decanting Act (&#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Scope" href="/64.2-779.1/">64.2-779.1</a> et seq.).
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Second-<span class="dictionary">trust instrument</span></span>&#x201D; means the <span class="dictionary">trust instrument</span> for a <span class="dictionary">second trust</span>.
		&#x201C;Settlor,&#x201D; except as otherwise provided in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Settlor" href="/64.2-779.22/">64.2-779.22</a>, means a <span class="dictionary">person</span>, including a testator, who creates or contributes property to a trust. If more than one <span class="dictionary">person</span> creates or contributes property to a trust, each <span class="dictionary">person</span> is a settlor of the portion of the trust property attributable to that <span class="dictionary">person</span>&#x2019;s contribution except to the extent another <span class="dictionary">person</span> has the power to revoke or withdraw that portion.
		&#x201C;Sign&#x201D; means, with present <span class="dictionary">intent</span> to authenticate or adopt a <span class="dictionary">record</span>, (i) to execute or adopt a tangible symbol or (ii) to attach to or logically associate with the <span class="dictionary">record</span> an <span class="dictionary">electronic</span> symbol, sound, or process.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Spendthrift provision</span>&#x201D; means a term of a trust that restrains both voluntary and involuntary transfer of a beneficiary&#x2019;s interest.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">State</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">state</span> of the United <span class="dictionary">States</span>, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United <span class="dictionary">States</span> Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular <span class="dictionary">possession</span> subject to the <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> of the United <span class="dictionary">States</span>. The term includes an Indian tribe or band recognized by federal law or formally acknowledged by a <span class="dictionary">state</span>.
		&#x201C;Terms of a trust&#x201D; means:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Except as otherwise provided in subdivision 2, the manifestation of the settlor&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">intent</span> regarding a trust&#x2019;s provisions as (i) expressed in the <span class="dictionary">trust instrument</span> or (ii) established by other <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> that would be <span class="dictionary">admissible</span> in a judicial proceeding; or <a id="paragraph-289276" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-701/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The trust&#x2019;s provisions as established, determined, or amended by (i) a trustee or <span class="dictionary">trust director</span> in accordance with applicable law, (ii) <span class="dictionary">court order</span>, or (iii) a nonjudicial <span class="dictionary">settlement</span> agreement under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Nonjudicial settlement agreements" href="/64.2-709/">64.2-709</a>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Trust director</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> that is granted a <span class="dictionary">power of direction</span> by the terms of a trust to the extent the power is exercisable while the <span class="dictionary">person</span> is not serving as a trustee. The <span class="dictionary">person</span> is a <span class="dictionary">trust director</span> whether or not the terms of the trust refer to the <span class="dictionary">person</span> as a <span class="dictionary">trust director</span> and whether or not the <span class="dictionary">person</span> is a beneficiary or settlor of the trust.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Trust instrument</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">record</span> signed by the settlor to create a trust or by any <span class="dictionary">person</span> to create a <span class="dictionary">second trust</span> that contains some or all of the terms of the trust, including any amendments.
			&#x201C;Trustee&#x201D; includes an original, additional, and successor trustee and a cotrustee. <a id="paragraph-289277" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-701/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2005, c. 935, &#xA7; 55-541.03; 2012, c. 614; 2017, c. 592; 2018, c. 476; 2020, c. 768; 2025, c. 74.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
