El texto completo de esta guía está en inglés; el resumen anterior está en su idioma. Los resúmenes de las leyes y el inglés siguen siendo la fuente de referencia.
Distributions · 6 min de lectura
What the words mean in Arizona
Arizona's intestacy statute passes an estate to the decedent's descendants "by representation" (A.R.S. § 14-2103(1)) and defines the method: the estate is divided into as many equal shares as there are surviving descendants in the nearest generation with a survivor and deceased descendants in that generation who left surviving descendants; each survivor in that generation takes one share, and the remaining shares are combined and divided in the same manner among the next generation (§ 14-2106(A)) — per capita at each generation. No Arizona statute gives an instrument's "per stirpes" a statutory meaning; a trust that uses the words is read on its own terms.
The surviving spouse's intestate share turns on whether the surviving issue are also the spouse's issue, and the decedent's one-half of the community property passes with the separate property (A.R.S. § 14-2102); the surviving spouse's own half is the spouse's already.
Discretionary distributions
A trustee exercises a discretionary power in good faith and in accordance with the terms and purposes of the trust and the interests of the beneficiaries (A.R.S. § 14-10814(A)). A beneficiary's creditor may not compel a distribution subject to the trustee's discretion, even where the discretion is expressed as a standard, except a court's order for a child's support (§ 14-10504); a mandatory distribution the trustee has not made within a reasonable period after the mandated date may be reached (§ 14-10506).
Before distributing after a death
On the death of the settlor of a trust that was revocable at the death, the trustee may proceed to distribute the trust property under its terms and is not liable for doing so unless the trustee has actual knowledge of a pending contest or a potential contestant has notified the trustee in writing of a possible proceeding and commences one within sixty days (A.R.S. § 14-10604(B)); a contest may be brought within the earlier of one year after the death and four months after the trustee sends the instrument with the notice the statute describes (§ 14-10604(A)). The property of a trust that was revocable at the death answers for the settlor's creditors' claims, the costs of administering the estate, the funeral expenses and the family's allowances to the extent the probate estate is inadequate (§ 14-10505(A)(3)) — the reason many trustees wait, or retain a reserve.
At termination
On an event terminating or partially terminating the trust, the trustee distributes within a reasonable time, subject to a reasonable reserve for debts, expenses and taxes (A.R.S. § 14-10817(B)). The trustee may send the beneficiaries a proposal for distribution; a beneficiary's right to object ends if the beneficiary does not notify the trustee of an objection within thirty days after the proposal was sent, provided the proposal informed the beneficiary of the right to object and of the time allowed (§ 14-10817(A)). A release of the trustee is invalid to the extent it was induced by improper conduct or given without knowledge of the beneficiary's rights or the material facts (§ 14-10817(C)).
Las leyes, textualmente
Limitation on actions contesting validity or revocable trust; distribution of trust property
A.R.S. § 14-10604 ↗Explicación clara y sencilla; el texto literal del estatuto aún no está atestiguado en nuestra biblioteca. Consulte el estatuto oficial en el enlace de arriba.
Distribution on termination; release of trustee
A.R.S. § 14-10817 ↗Explicación clara y sencilla; el texto literal del estatuto aún no está atestiguado en nuestra biblioteca. Consulte el estatuto oficial en el enlace de arriba.
Intestate share of surviving spouse
A.R.S. § 14-2102 ↗Explicación clara y sencilla; el texto literal del estatuto aún no está atestiguado en nuestra biblioteca. Consulte el estatuto oficial en el enlace de arriba.
Passing of estate by representation; assigning of shares; definitions
A.R.S. § 14-2106 ↗Explicación clara y sencilla; el texto literal del estatuto aún no está atestiguado en nuestra biblioteca. Consulte el estatuto oficial en el enlace de arriba.
Preguntas frecuentes
What does "by representation" mean in Arizona?
The intestate division per capita at each generation: equal shares at the nearest generation with a survivor, counting deceased members who left descendants, with the deceased members' shares combined and divided in the same manner among the next generation (A.R.S. § 14-2106).
Can an Arizona trustee distribute right after the settlor dies?
The statute lets the trustee distribute under the terms and protects the trustee from liability for doing so, unless the trustee knows of a pending contest or a potential contestant's written notice is followed by a proceeding within sixty days (A.R.S. § 14-10604(B)); the trust's liability for the estate's claims is the reason to read the claims position first (§ 14-10505).
How long do beneficiaries have to object to a final distribution in Arizona?
Thirty days after the proposal for distribution was sent — only where the proposal informed the beneficiary of the right to object and of the time allowed (A.R.S. § 14-10817(A)).
Lecturas relacionadas
El Centro de Aprendizaje es información general sobre la ley de Arizona — no es asesoría legal ni sustituye el consejo de un abogado de Arizona con licencia sobre sus hechos específicos. TrusteeClear es software, no un bufete.