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Successor Trustee is the person or institution who takes over the management of a living trust property when the original trustee has died or become incapacitated. The exact responsibilities of a successor trustee will vary depending on the instructions left by the creator of the trust (called the Grantor).

EXAMPLE: Caroline names her two children, Eugene and Vanessa, as successor trustees. She names a close friend, Nicole, as alternate successor trustee. When Caroline dies, Vanessa is ill and can't serve as trustee, so Eugene acts as sole successor trustee. If he becomes unable to serve, Nicole would take over.

The successor trustee may be the primary beneficiary of the trust. However, the successor trustee can be anyone you trust. For example, the successor trustee can be a close friend, an adult child, your spouse, your lawyer, an accountant, or a corporate trustee.

This form is typically provided by the party who appointed the successor trustee or the trust administration attorney. Fill out the personal information section of the form. This includes providing your full legal name, address, contact details, and any other information requested. Review the trust document.

While both roles sound familiar, there are differences between them – most notably, that if an asset is held outside of the trust (so, in the name of the deceased), it is the responsibility of the executor, and if it is held in the name of the trust, it is the responsibility of the successor trustee.

A trustee, who can either be the trustor or another responsible party, may be appointed while the trustor is still alive; a successor trustee is charged with administering a trust after the trustor or the appointed trustee (if they are different from the trustor) becomes incapacitated or dies.