(a) A trustee shall administer the trust solely in the interests of the beneficiaries.
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Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 554D-802

  • 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
  • Beneficiary: means a person who:

    (1) Has a present or future beneficial interest in a trust, vested or contingent; or
    (2) In a capacity other than that of trustee, holds a power of appointment over trust property. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 554D-103
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Court: means the circuit court in this State having jurisdiction over all subject matter relating to trusts. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 554D-103
  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
  • Interests of the beneficiaries: means the beneficial interests provided in the terms of the trust. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 554D-103
  • Person: means an individual; corporation; business trust; estate; trust; partnership; limited liability company; association; joint venture; government; governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality; public corporation; or any other legal or commercial entity. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 554D-103
  • Property: means anything that may be the subject of ownership, whether real or personal, legal or equitable, or any interest therein. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 554D-103
  • Spouse: includes individuals who are married to each other and individuals who are reciprocal beneficiaries. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 554D-103
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
  • Trustee: includes an original, additional, and successor trustee, and a cotrustee. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 554D-103
(b) Subject to the rights of persons dealing with or assisting the trustee as provided in section -1012, a sale, encumbrance, or other transaction involving the investment or management of trust property entered into by the trustee for the trustee’s own personal account or that is otherwise affected by a conflict between the trustee’s fiduciary and personal interests is voidable by a beneficiary affected by the transaction unless:

(1) The transaction was authorized by the terms of the trust;
(2) The transaction was approved by the court;
(3) The beneficiary did not commence a judicial proceeding within the time allowed by section -1005;
(4) The beneficiary consented to the trustee’s conduct, ratified the transaction, or released the trustee in compliance with section -1009; or
(5) The transaction involves a contract entered into or claim acquired by the trustee before the person became or contemplated becoming a trustee.
(c) A sale, encumbrance, or other transaction involving the investment or management of trust property is presumed to be affected by a conflict between personal and fiduciary interests if it is entered into by the trustee with:

(1) The trustee’s spouse, or the spouse’s descendants, siblings, or ancestors, and their spouses;
(2) The trustee’s descendants, siblings, ancestors, or their spouses;
(3) An agent or attorney of the trustee;
(4) A corporation or other person or enterprise in which the trustee has such a substantial interest that it might affect the trustee’s best judgment; or
(5) A corporation or other person or enterprise that has such a substantial interest in the trustee that it might affect the trustee’s best judgment.
(d) A transaction not concerning trust property in which the trustee engages in the trustee’s individual capacity involves a conflict between personal and fiduciary interests if the transaction concerns an opportunity properly belonging to the trust.
(e) An investment by a trustee in securities of an investment company or investment trust to which the trustee or its affiliate provides services in a capacity other than as trustee is not presumed to be affected by a conflict between personal and fiduciary interests if the investment otherwise complies with the prudent investor rule of part IX. In addition to its compensation for acting as trustee, the trustee or its affiliate may be compensated by the investment company or investment trust for providing those services out of fees charged to the trust. If the trustee or its affiliate receives compensation from the investment company or investment trust for providing investment advisory or investment management services, the trustee shall at least annually notify the persons entitled under section -813 to receive a copy of the trustee’s annual report of the rate and method by which that compensation was determined.
(f) In voting shares of stock or in exercising powers of control over similar interests in other forms of business entities, the trustee shall act in the best interests of the beneficiaries. If the trust is the sole owner of a corporation or another form of a business entity, the trustee shall elect or appoint directors or other managers who will manage the corporation or business entity in the best interests of the beneficiaries.
(g) This section does not preclude the following transactions, if fair to the beneficiaries:

(1) An agreement between a trustee and a beneficiary relating to the appointment or compensation of the trustee;
(2) Payment of reasonable compensation to the trustee;
(3) A transaction between a trust and another trust, decedent‘s estate, or conservatorship of which the trustee is a fiduciary or in which a beneficiary has an interest;
(4) A deposit of trust money in a regulated financial-service institution operated by the trustee; or
(5) An advance by the trustee of money for the protection of the trust.
(h) The court may appoint a special fiduciary to make a decision with respect to any proposed transaction that might violate this section if entered into by the trustee.

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