A corporate trustee is defined as which of the following?

• A. A corporate entity that serves as a trustee.
• B. An individual who acts as trustee
• C. The surrogate's court
• D. A distributee

Answer: (A)

A corporate trustee is a corporate entity that serves as a trustee. In estate and trust matters handled by the Surrogate’s Court, this means a bank or trust company organized as a corporation that is authorized to act as a fiduciary, administering trust assets, making investments, and distributing income or principal according to the terms of the trust or will. The corporate nature provides continuity, professional management, and regulatory oversight, which are advantages for handling complex or large trusts.

The other options describe an individual acting as a trustee, the court itself, or a beneficiary (a distributee). They are not corporate trustees, which is why the corporate entity description is the correct one.