can a lawyer who drafts a deed of trust also be the trustee

by Leda Shields 10 min read

Yes. Attorney who drafts trust may act as trustee. Not a conflict of interest. Drafting attorney usually more familiar with the document. Trust company minimums may exceed assets in trust.

The lawyer could act as substitute trustee unless the advice to the beneficiaries related to the real property or the deed of trust (in which case the beneficiaries would have to consent). A lawyer may act both as a loan officer and as counsel to a corporation as well as trustee under deeds of trust securing its loans.

Full Answer

Can a lawyer be a trustee of a deed of trust?

Feb 04, 2011 · Probate Code section 15642 deals with being named trustee. This certificate is in section 15642. The two Certificates are different, compare them. An attorney will need both Certificates if the attorney is drafting a trust that both (1) names the attorney as trustee and (2) provides a donative transfer.

Can a deed of trust be used for a beneficiary?

Feb 17, 2016 · The Rules Regulating the Florida Bar, in a comment to the conflict of interest rule, point out that there is a potential for a conflict of interest when an attorney drafts a will or trust that appoints the drafting attorney, or a member of the drafting attorneys firm as a personal representative or trustee.

What is the difference between a deed of trust and a mortgage?

Internal Revenue Code, under which a trustee who is also a discretionary beneficiary of the trust is relieved of gift and estate tax concerns. That "ascertainable standard" language (found in Section 2514(c)(1)) could fuel a beneficiary's claim that the beneficiary is entitled to …

What happens if you have a deed of trust in California?

Feb 20, 2020 · Some states have laws governing who may or may not serve as a trustee in a deed of trust. Generally, the trustee must be an attorney, title insurance company, trust company, bank, savings and loan, credit union, or other company specifically authorized by law to serve as a …

Who can be a trustee on a Texas deed of trust?

The trustee named in a Texas deed of trust can be any individual person who has the legal capacity to hold and transfer property. Under Texas law, if the named trustee is a corporation, the corporation must be authorized to act as a trustee in Texas.Mar 29, 2020

Who can be a trustee on a deed of trust in Colorado?

The laws of Colorado provide that for certain larger counties, the governor appoints the pub- lic trustee. For other counties, the county treasurer serves as the pub- lic trustee. One key task of the public trustee is to release real estate from the lien of the deed of trust when the borrower repays the loan.

Who can be a trustee on a deed of trust in Arizona?

1. An association or corporation doing business under the laws of this state as a bank, trust company, savings and loan association, credit union, insurance company, escrow agent or consumer lender. 2. A person who is a member of the state bar of Arizona.

Who is the trustee on a deed of trust in California?

The trustee is a neutral third-party who holds the legal title to a property until the borrower pays off the loan in full. They're called a trustee because they hold the property in trust for the lender.Jan 30, 2019

Who are the parties in a deed of trust transaction in Colorado?

Deeds of Trust and Mortgages Mortgages exist in Colorado, but more common are deeds of trust. These involve three parties: the borrower, the lender and the public trustee. The deed specifies that the borrower grants the land title to the trustee to hold in trust for the lender.

What is a release of deed of trust Colorado?

A Release of Deed of Trust is a document signed and executed by the current beneficiary of a Deed of Trust. The release form is submitted to the Public Trustee's Office in the county in which the property is located.

Can you sell a house with a deed of trust?

Can You Sell a House with a Deed of Trust? Yes, you can sell a home with a Deed of Trust. However, just like a mortgage, if you're selling the home for less than you owe on it, you'll need approval from the lender.

Can a trust hold title to real property in Arizona?

In Arizona, you can take title as Community Property, Community Property with Right of Survivorship, Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship, Tenants in Common, Sole and Separate, Single, Unmarried, Trust, and Corporations/Partnerships/Limited Liability Company.

Are trusts public record in Arizona?

The trust is outside the probate process so the court does not oversee it. Wills are part of the public record. Trusts are private.

Who chooses the trustee in a deed of trust?

In a deed of trust, the borrower is called the trustor and the lender is the beneficiary. The trustee holds title to the property until the trustor has fully repaid the loan to the beneficiary, at which time the lender notifies the trustee, who then transfers full title of the property to the trustor.Jun 27, 2019

What makes a deed of trust invalid in California?

Courts have wiped out trust-deed liens because of simple errors. Giving the wrong legal address for the property or the wrong amount of the debt can render the deed unenforceable. In some cases, the error is easy to fix, and the court will rule the deed is enforceable.

How long is a deed of trust good for in California?

California Civil Code §882.020 provides that a DOT has a statute of limitations of 60 years following the DOT's recording if the DOT neither includes a copy of an underlying promissory note nor indicates the date the obligation matured. Otherwise, the statute of limitations is 10 years from the maturity date.Sep 2, 2016

What is the benefit of a grantor of a trust?

One advantage to this scenario is that the Grantor of the Trust (the one originally funding it) will be able to confidentially communicate to the drafting attorney their wishes about the Trust and their heirs in ways they wouldn't to a relative or loved one. Sometimes there are aspects of the Grantor's goals, wishes and fears which they'd like to keep private and aren't appropriate for being written into a Trust...

Can an attorney be a trustee?

Generally speaking there is no conflict of interest for an attorney to act as trustee. An attorney should discuss various options with you however. There are numerous parties who can act as trustee. Family, friends, corporate trustees, fiduciaries, and attorneys.

What is the role of a trustee in a deed of trust?

In states using deeds of trust, a trustee is a third party who holds legal title to a property until the homebuyer or commercial developer pays off a loan associated with the parcel— or until the borrower defaults.

What is the purpose of a deed of trust?

The deed of trust should recite its compliance with all state statutory requirements, including notice, for the process of foreclosure. If a trustee by its own actions effectively assumes duties (such as communication with the borrower), the trustee should not drop those duties.

What is the law in California regarding foreclosure?

California case law holds trustees and loan beneficiaries responsible for wrongful foreclosure if they use a deed of trust to effect an “illegal, fraudulent, or willfully oppressive” sale. Yet cases that hold the trustee liable are few and far between.

Is a trustee a fiduciary?

The trustee in a deed of trust scenario is not a “true trustee” with fiduciary duties. The trustee’s role under a deed of trust is passive. The trustee for a deed of trust simply performs an agency role for the parties.

Can a lender foreclose on a deed of trust?

Foreclosure occurs not through the court, but under the power of sale clause in the deed of trust. (This allowance for non-judicial foreclosure differentiates deeds of trusts from mortgages and some land contracts.) The main thrust is to lower risk for lenders.

What happens if a deed of trust defaults?

If the borrower defaults on his loan payments, the beneficiary of a deed of trust instructs the trustee to begin foreclosure proceedings. The trustee typically does not need a court's permission to proceed – it can act on its own, which makes the process go more quickly.

How many parties are involved in a deed of trust?

Deeds of trust involve three parties. If you're the borrower, you're called the grantor, or sometimes the trustor. Your lender is the beneficiary because it receives money from you and benefits from the deal. The trustee is effectively your lender's watchdog – he stands by ready to act when you pay off your loan or if you default on the payments. In most states that use deeds of trust, including California, the trustee holds title to your property until the loan is paid off. Without the trustee to act as an intermediary – such as if the beneficiary and the trustee were the same person or entity – you would effectively have a mortgage instead of a deed of trust. Only two parties would be involved, and they would deal directly with each other.

What happens if you don't have a trustee?

Without the trustee to act as an intermediary – such as if the beneficiary and the trustee were the same person or entity – you would effectively have a mortgage instead of a deed of trust. Only two parties would be involved, and they would deal directly with each other.

What is the difference between a deed of trust and a mortgage?

Some use deeds of trust instead, which are similar documents, but they have some fundamental differences. Both are legal instruments that pledge collateral for a home – if you default on the loan, they allow the lender to foreclose and take the property back. With a mortgage, the lender interacts directly with the borrower in this process.

Who is Beverly Bird?

Beverly Bird has been writing professionally since 1983. She is the author of several novels including the bestselling "Comes the Rain" and "With Every Breath.". Bird also has extensive experience as a paralegal, primarily in the areas of divorce and family law, bankruptcy and estate law.

Is a trustee a lawyer?

In other jurisdictions, the trustee might be the lender's lawyer, so these parties could have a pre-existing relationship. Lawyers have a legal and ethical obligation to act as officers of the court, however, which means they can't take any action that's biased against the borrower or that unfairly benefits the lender.

What is trustee in California?

The trustee is effectively your lender's watchdog – he stands by ready to act when you pay off your loan or if you default on the payments. In most states that use deeds of trust, including California, the trustee holds title to your property until the loan is paid off. Without the trustee to act as an intermediary – such ...

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