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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>79506</law_id><section_number>64.2-779.8</section_number><catch_line>Decanting power under expanded distributive discretion</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>64.2-779.10</reference><reference>64.2-779.16</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="8.1">Uniform Trust Decanting Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> As used in this section:
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Noncontingent right</span>&#x201D; means a right that is not subject to the exercise of discretion or the occurrence of a specified event that is not certain to occur. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Noncontingent right</span>&#x201D; does not include a right held by a beneficiary if any <span class="dictionary">person</span> has discretion to distribute <span class="dictionary">property</span> subject to the right to any <span class="dictionary">person</span> other than the beneficiary or the beneficiary&#x2019;s estate.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Presumptive remainder beneficiary</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">qualified beneficiary</span> other than a <span class="dictionary">current beneficiary</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Successor beneficiary</span>&#x201D; means a beneficiary that is not a <span class="dictionary">qualified beneficiary</span> on the date the beneficiary&#x2019;s qualification is determined. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Successor beneficiary</span>&#x201D; does not include a <span class="dictionary">person</span> that is a beneficiary only because the <span class="dictionary">person</span> holds a nongeneral <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span>.
			&#x201C;Vested interest&#x201D; means: <a id="paragraph-284866" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> A right to a mandatory distribution that is a <span class="dictionary">noncontingent right</span> as of the date of the exercise of the <span class="dictionary">decanting power</span>; <a id="paragraph-284867" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> A current and <span class="dictionary">noncontingent right</span>, annually or more frequently, to a mandatory distribution of income, a specified dollar amount, or a percentage of <span class="dictionary">value</span> of some or all of the trust <span class="dictionary">property</span>; <a id="paragraph-284868" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> A current and <span class="dictionary">noncontingent right</span>, annually or more frequently, to withdraw income, a specified dollar amount, or a percentage of <span class="dictionary">value</span> of some or all of the trust <span class="dictionary">property</span>; <a id="paragraph-284869" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> A presently exercisable <span class="dictionary">general <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span></span>; or <a id="paragraph-284870" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> A right to receive an ascertainable part of the trust <span class="dictionary">property</span> on the trust&#x2019;s termination that is not subject to the exercise of discretion or to the occurrence of a specified event that is not certain to occur. <a id="paragraph-284871" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#A5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Subject to subsection C and &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Protection of charitable interest" href="/64.2-779.11/">64.2-779.11</a>, an <span class="dictionary">authorized fiduciary</span> that has <span class="dictionary">expanded distributive discretion</span> over the income or principal of a <span class="dictionary">first trust</span> for the benefit of one or more current beneficiaries may exercise the <span class="dictionary">decanting power</span> over the income or principal of the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span>. <a id="paragraph-284872" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Subject to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Trust for beneficiary with disability" href="/64.2-779.10/">64.2-779.10</a>, in an exercise of the <span class="dictionary">decanting power</span> under this section, a <span class="dictionary">second trust</span> may not: <a id="paragraph-284873" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Include as a <span class="dictionary">current beneficiary</span> a <span class="dictionary">person</span> that is not a <span class="dictionary">current beneficiary</span> of the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span>, except as otherwise provided in subsection D; <a id="paragraph-284874" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Include as a <span class="dictionary">presumptive remainder beneficiary</span> or <span class="dictionary">successor beneficiary</span> a <span class="dictionary">person</span> that is not a <span class="dictionary">current beneficiary</span>, <span class="dictionary">presumptive remainder beneficiary</span>, or <span class="dictionary">successor beneficiary</span> of the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span>, except as otherwise provided in subsection D; or <a id="paragraph-284875" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Reduce or eliminate a vested interest. <a id="paragraph-284876" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#C3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Subject to subdivision C 3 and &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Protection of charitable interest" href="/64.2-779.11/">64.2-779.11</a>, in an exercise of the <span class="dictionary">decanting power</span> under this section, a <span class="dictionary">second trust</span> may be a trust created or administered under the <span class="dictionary">law</span> of any <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> and may: <a id="paragraph-284877" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Retain a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> granted in the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span>; <a id="paragraph-284878" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#D1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Omit a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> granted in the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span>, other than a presently exercisable <span class="dictionary">general <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span></span>; <a id="paragraph-284879" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#D2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Create or modify a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> if the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span> is a <span class="dictionary">current beneficiary</span> of the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span> and the <span class="dictionary">authorized fiduciary</span> has <span class="dictionary">expanded distributive discretion</span> to distribute principal to the beneficiary; and <a id="paragraph-284880" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#D3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Create or modify a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> if the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span> is a <span class="dictionary">presumptive remainder beneficiary</span> or <span class="dictionary">successor beneficiary</span> of the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span>, but the exercise of the power may take effect only after the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span> becomes, or would have become if then living, a <span class="dictionary">current beneficiary</span>. <a id="paragraph-284881" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#D4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> A <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> described in subdivisions D 1 through 4 may be general or nongeneral. The class of permissible appointees in favor of which the power may be exercised may be broader than or different from the beneficiaries of the <span class="dictionary">first trust</span>. <a id="paragraph-284882" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> If an <span class="dictionary">authorized fiduciary</span> has <span class="dictionary">expanded distributive discretion</span> over part but not all of the income or principal of a <span class="dictionary">first trust</span>, the fiduciary may exercise the <span class="dictionary">decanting power</span> under this section over that part of the income or principal over which the <span class="dictionary">authorized fiduciary</span> has <span class="dictionary">expanded distributive discretion</span>. <a id="paragraph-284883" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-779.8/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2017, c. 592.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
