What Beneficiaries Are Entitled to Know
A trust is not a black box. Arizona's trust code gives beneficiaries the right to stay informed about what is happening with trust assets. When someone is named as a qualified beneficiary, the trustee has a duty to share material facts about the trust's administration, not just when asked, but proactively.
A trustee shall keep the qualified beneficiaries of the trust reasonably informed about the administration of the trust and of the material facts necessary for them to protect their interests.
A.R.S. § 14-10813(A)That means beneficiaries do not have to guess whether the trustee is handling things properly. They can request copies of relevant portions of the trust instrument. And when a trustee accepts a new role or when a trust becomes irrevocable (often after the settlor's death), the trustee must notify beneficiaries within sixty days.
Annual Reports and Compensation Transparency
The statute also requires an annual accounting. Trustees must send a report that includes trust property, liabilities, receipts, disbursements, the source and amount of trustee compensation, and a listing of trust assets with market values when feasible. This report goes to current distributees and anyone else who requests it.
A trustee shall send to the distributees or permissible distributees of trust income or principal and to other beneficiaries who request it, at least annually and at the termination of the trust, a report of the trust property, liabilities, receipts and disbursements, including the source and amount of the trustee's compensation.
A.R.S. § 14-10813(C)Trustees must also provide at least thirty days' notice before changing their compensation. A beneficiary can waive the right to reports, but that waiver can be withdrawn at any time for future reports. Transparency is the default, and the burden falls on the trustee to maintain it.
