Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Virginia

Re: living trust

The only reference in the Virginia Code to statutory requirements for creation of trusts is the following:

"� 55-544.02. Requirements for creation.

A. A trust is created only if:

1. The settlor has capacity to create a trust;

2. The settlor indicates an intention to create the trust;

3. The trust has a definite beneficiary or is:

a. A charitable trust;

b. A trust for the care of an animal, as provided in � 55-544.08; or

c. A trust for a noncharitable purpose, as provided in � 55-544.09;

4. The trustee has duties to perform; and

5. The same person is not the sole trustee and sole beneficiary.

B. A beneficiary is definite if the beneficiary can be ascertained now or in the future, subject to any applicable rule against perpetuities.

C. A power in a trustee to select a beneficiary from an indefinite class is valid. If the power is not exercised within a reasonable time, the power fails and the property subject to the power passes to the persons who would have taken the property had the power not been conferred."

This section was added to the Virginia Code effective July 1, 2006, and nothing in that section requires witnesses or notarization for a trust.