In Arlene's estate example, who is named trustee?

• A. Elizabeth
• B. Grace
• C. Lee
• D. The court

Answer: (A)

The key idea is who is designated to manage a trust created by a will in Surrogate’s Court practice. A trustee is the person named in the will (or trust document) to administer the trust assets for the benefit of the beneficiaries, handling investments, distributions, and reporting in accordance with the trust terms. In Arlene’s estate, Elizabeth is named to serve as trustee, so she is the one authorized to administer the trust assets and carry out its duties. The court would step in to appoint a trustee only if no one is named or if there’s a problem with the existing appointment, not to replace the person who is named to serve. Grace and Lee might be beneficiaries or hold other roles, and the court isn’t the trustee unless appointment is necessary. So Elizabeth is the one designated to manage the trust.