Illinois § 15.5

§ 15.5.

Termination and transfer of certain trusts. (a) If a trustee who is subject to this Act determines that the continued administration of a trust has become impractical because of the trust's small size or because of changed circumstances that adversely affect the charitable purpose or purposes of the trust, then after notifying each named charitable organization, if any, for the benefit of which the trust was created and after obtaining the consent of the Attorney General, the trustee may amend the terms of the governing instrument of the trust to the extent necessary to terminate the trust and to transfer the trust assets as provided in subsection (c) or (d). The Attorney General shall consent to the termination of the trust and the transfer of the trust assets only after having determined that the termination and transfer are necessary or appropriate, in the case of termination because of the trust's small size, to implement the charitable purpose or purposes of the trust or, in the case of termination because of changed circumstances, to fulfill the general intent of the donor of the trust as expressed in the governing instrument of the trust. (b) For purposes of subsection (a), the term "small size" shall mean a trust for which the annual expenses of administration, including the trustee's fees, the investment management and accounting fees and excise taxes would, if charged entirely against income, exceed 25% of the income of the trust, and the term "changed circumstances" shall mean a condition in which the charitable purpose or purposes of the trust shall, in the judgment of the trustee, have become illegal, unnecessary, incapable of fulfillment, or inconsistent with the charitable needs of the community. (c) Subject to subsection (d) with respect to a trust terminated because of the trust's small size, the trustee shall transfer the trust assets of the terminated trust to a community foundation or similar publicly-supported organization described in Section 170 (b)(1)(A)(vi) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, to be administered, in the case of termination because of the trust's small size, in implementation of the charitable purpose or purposes of the trust or, in the case of termination because of changed circumstances, in accordance with the general intent of the donor of the trust as expressed in the governing instrument of the trust. (d) If a trust terminated because of the trust's small size was created for the benefit of a named charitable organization which has established an endowment fund and if the principal of the endowment fund is under its irrevocable terms no more expendable by the organization than is the principal of the trust under the terms of the governing instrument of the trust, the charitable organization may direct the trustee to transfer the trust assets of the trust to the endowment fund, to be administered in implementation of the charitable purpose or purposes of the trust. (e) A trustee need not obtain the approval of any court in order to terminate a trust and to transfer the trust assets as provided in this Section. (f) The provisions of this Section are an alternative to and not in abrogation of any other course of action provided by law. A trustee shall not incur any civil or criminal liability by reason of acting in accordance with this Section. (Source: P.A. 89-575, eff. 1-1-97.)