1.    A trust is created only if the settlor has capacity to create a trust, the settlor indicates an intention to create the trust, the trust has a definite beneficiary or is a charitable trust, a trust for the care of an animal, as provided in section 59-12-08, or a trust for a noncharitable purpose, as provided in section 59-12-09; the trustee has duties to perform; and the same person is not the sole trustee and sole beneficiary.

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Terms Used In North Dakota Code 59-12-02

  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • Person: means an individual, organization, government, political subdivision, or government agency or instrumentality. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • Property: includes property, real and personal. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • Rule: includes regulation. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.

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

3.    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.