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| Home > Statutes > Usa Arizona |
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USA Statutes : arizona
Title : Trusts, Estates and Protective Proceedings
Chapter : NONPROBATE TRANSFERS
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14-6101 Nonprobate transfers on death; nontestamentary nature A. A provision for a nonprobate transfer on death in any insurance policy, contract of employment, bond, mortgage, promissory note, certificated or uncertificated security, account agreement, custodial agreement, deposit agreement, compensation plan, pension plan, individual retirement plan, employee benefit plan, trust, conveyance, deed of gift, marital property agreement or other written instrument of a similar nature is nontestamentary. B. A written instrument is nontestamentary if it contains a provision that: 1. Money or other benefits due to, controlled by or owned by a decedent before death shall be paid after the decedent's death to a person whom the decedent designates either in the instrument or in a separate writing, including a will, executed either before or at the same time as the instrument, or later. 2. Money due or to become due under the written instrument ceases to be payable in the event of death of the promisee or the promisor before payment or demand. 3. Any property that is controlled by or owned by the decedent before death and that is the subject of the written instrument passes to a person the decedent designates either in the written instrument or in a separate writing, including a will, executed either before or at the same time as the instrument or later. C. This section does not limit rights of creditors under other laws of this state. 14-6102 Nonprobate transferees; liability for creditor claims and statutory allowances A. Except as otherwise provided by law, a transferee of a nonprobate transfer is subject to liability to the decedent's probate estate for allowed claims against the decedent's probate estate and statutory allowances to the decedent's spouse and children to the extent the decedent's probate estate is insufficient to satisfy those claims and allowances. The liability of a nonprobate transferee may not exceed the value of nonprobate transfers received or controlled by that transferee. B. Nonprobate transferees are liable for the insufficiency described in subsection A of this section in the following order: 1. As provided in the decedent's will or any other governing instrument. 2. To the extent of the value of the nonprobate transfer received or controlled by the trustee of a trust serving as the principal nonprobate instrument in the decedent's estate plan as shown by its designation as devisee of the decedent's residuary estate or by other facts or circumstances. 3. Other nonprobate transferees, in proportion to the values received. C. Unless otherwise provided by the trust instrument, interests of beneficiaries in all trusts that incur liabilities under this section abate as necessary to satisfy the liability as if all of the trust interments were a single will and the interest were devises under it. D. A provision made in one instrument may direct the apportionment of the liability among the nonprobate transferees taking under that or any other governing instrument. If a provision in one instrument conflicts with a provision in another instrument, the later instrument prevails. E. On due notice to a nonprobate transferee, the liability imposed by this section is enforceable in proceedings in this state, wherever the transferee is located. F. A proceeding under this section may not be commenced unless the personal representative of the decedent's estate has received from the surviving spouse or a child to the extent that statutory allowances are affected, or from a creditor, a written demand for the proceeding. If the personal representative declines or fails to commence a proceeding after demand, a person making the demand may commence the proceeding in the name of the decedent's estate, at the expense of the person making the demand and not of the estate. A personal representative who declines in good faith to commence a requested proceeding incurs no personal liability for declining. G. A proceeding under this section must be commenced within two years after the decedent's death, but a proceeding on behalf of a creditor whose claim was allowed after proceedings challenging disallowance of the claim may be commenced within sixty days after final allowance of the claims. H. Unless a written notice asserting that a decedent's probate estate is insufficient to pay allowed claims and statutory allowances have been received from the decedent's personal representative, the following rules apply: 1. Payment or delivery of assets by any financial institution, registrar or other obligor to a nonprobate transferee in accordance with the terms of the governing instrument controlling the transfer releases the obligor from all claims for amounts paid or assets delivered. 2. A trustee receiving or controlling a nonprobate transfer is released from liability under this section on any assets distributed to the trust's beneficiaries. Each beneficiary to the extent of the distribution received becomes liable for the amount of the trustee's liability attributable to that asset imposed by subsections B and C of this section. I. For the purposes of this section a nonprobate transfer is a valid transfer effective at death, other than a transfer of a survivorship interest in a joint tenancy of real estate, by a transferor whose last domicile was in this state, and to the extent that the transferor immediately before death had power, acting alone, to prevent the transfer by revocation or withdrawal and to instead use the property for the benefit of the transferor or apply it to discharge claims against the transfer's probate estate. With respect to multiple party accounts, the portion of the account that is a nonprobate transfer is that portion of that account to which the decedent was beneficially entitled immediately before death pursuant to section 14-6211. 14-6103 Notice of death of settlor; filing claim against trust estate A. After the death of the settlor the trustee of a nontestamentary trust may notify known creditors pursuant to section 14-3801, subsection B and may publish notice to creditors pursuant to section 14-3801, subsection A. B. A claim against the trust estate that arose before the settlor's death, including claims of the state or any of its political subdivisions, whether due or to become due, absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated, founded on contract, tort or other legal basis, if not barred against the trust estate by any other statute of limitations or nonclaim statute, are barred against the trust estate, the trustee and the beneficiaries of the trust, unless presented within the time prescribed in the written notice for creditors who are given actual notice, or within the time prescribed in the published notice for creditors who are given notice by publication. C. A claim under this section may be presented as follows: 1. The claimant may deliver or mail to the trustee a written statement of the claim indicating the information prescribed in section 14-3804. 2. If the trustee has distributed the trust estate to beneficiaries of the trust, the trustee shall mail or deliver the claim to any beneficiary that may be liable for the claim because of the receipt of trust assets by that beneficiary. 3. If a claim is presented in a timely manner, section 14-6102 applies. D. The trustee is not liable to a creditor or to any beneficiary of the trust for giving or failing to give notice under this section. 14-6201 Definitions In this article, unless the context otherwise requires: 1. "Account" means a contract of deposit between a depositor and a financial institution and includes a checking account, savings account, certificate of deposit and share account. 2. "Agent" means a person who is authorized to make account transactions for a party. 3. "Beneficiary" means a person to whom sums on deposit in an account are payable on request after the death of all parties or for whom a party is named as a trustee. 4. "Financial institution" means an organization authorized to do business under state or federal laws relating to financial institutions and includes a bank, trust company, savings bank, building and loan association, savings and loan company or association and credit union. 5. "Multiple party account" means an account payable on request to one or more of two or more parties, whether or not a right of survivorship is mentioned. 6. "Party" means a person who, by the terms of an account and subject to a request, has a present right other than as a beneficiary or agent to payment from the account. 7. "Pay on death designation" or "POD" means the designation of: (a) A beneficiary in an account payable on request to one party during the party's lifetime and on the party's death to one or more beneficiaries or to one or more parties during their lifetimes and on the death of all of them to one or more beneficiaries. (b) A beneficiary in an account in the name of one or more parties as trustee for one or more beneficiaries if the relationship is established by the terms of the account and there is no subject of the trust other than the sums on deposit in the account, whether or not payment to the beneficiary is mentioned. 8. "Payment" or "payable" as it relates to sums on deposit includes withdrawal, payment to a party or third person pursuant to a check or any other request and a pledge of sums on deposit by a party, or any setoff, reduction or other disposition of all or part of an account pursuant to a pledge. 9. "Receive", as it relates to notice to a financial institution, means receipt in the office or branch office of the financial institution in which the account is established. If the terms of the account require notice at a particular place, receive means in the place required by those terms. 10. "Request" means a request for payment that complies with all terms of the account, including special requirements concerning necessary signatures and rules of the financial institution, and that, if terms of the account condition payment on advance notice, is treated as immediately effective. Request includes a notice of intent to withdraw. 11. "Sums on deposit" means the balance payable on an account, including interest and dividends earned, whether or not included in the current balance and any deposit life insurance proceeds added to the account by reason of death of a party. 12. "Terms of the account" includes the deposit agreement and other terms and conditions of the contract of deposit and includes the contract form. 14-6202 Application of article This article does not apply to: 1. An account established for any partnership, joint venture or other organization for a business purpose. 2. An account controlled by one or more persons as an agent or trustee for a corporation, unincorporated association or charitable or civic organization. 3. A fiduciary or trust account in which the relationship is established other than by the terms of the account. 14-6203 Types of accounts; existing accounts A. An account may be for a single party or multiple parties. A multiple party account may be with or without a right of survivorship between the parties. Subject to the requirements of section 14-6212, subsection C, either a single party account or a multiple party account may have a pay on death designation or an agency designation, or both. B. An account established before or after December 31, 1994, whether in the form prescribed in section 14-6204 or in any other form, is either a single party account or a multiple party account, with or without the right of survivorship, and with or without a pay on death designation or designating an agent, within the meaning of this section and is governed by this section. 14-6204 Sample forms A. A contract of deposit that contains provisions in substantially the following form establishes the type of account provided. The account is governed by the requirements of this section that are applicable to that account of that type: Uniform Single or Multiple Party Account Form Parties (Name one or more parties): ____________________ _____________________ Ownership (Select one and initial): _____ single party account _____ multiple party account Parties own account in proportion to net contributions unless there is clear and convincing evidence of a
different intent. Rights at death (select one and initial): _____ single party account At death of party, ownership passes as part of party's estate. _____ single party account with POD (pay on death) designation (Name of one or more beneficiaries): _______________________ _________________________ At death of party, ownership passes to POD (pay on death) beneficiaries and is not part of party's estate. _____ multiple party account with right of survivorship At death of party, ownership passes to surviving parties. Multiple party account with right of survivorship and POD (pay on death) designation (Name one or more beneficiaries): _________________________ __________________________ At death of last surviving party, ownership passes to POD (pay on death) beneficiaries and is not part of last surviving party's estate. _____ multiple party account without right of survivorship At death of party, deceased party's owner ship passes as part of deceased party's estate. Agency (power of attorney) designation (optional) Agents may make account transactions for parties but have no ownership or rights at death unless named as POD (pay on death) beneficiaries. (To add agency designation to account, name one or more agents): ________________________ _________________________ (Select one and initial): _____ agency designation survives disability or incapacity of parties _____ agency designation terminates on disability or incapacity of parties B. A contract of deposit that does not contain provisions in substantially the form provided in subsection A is governed by the requirements of this article that are applicable to the type of account that most nearly conforms to the depositor's intent. 14-6205 Designation of agent; authority; termination A. By a writing signed by all parties, the parties may designate as an agent for all of the parties on the account a person who is not a party to the account. B. Unless the terms of an agency designation provide that the authority of the agent terminates on disability or incapacity of a party, the agent's authority survives disability and incapacity. The agent may act for a disabled or incapacitated party until the authority of the agent is terminated. The death of the sole party or last surviving party terminates the authority of an agent. 14-6206 Beneficial ownership; application and limitation of article The requirements of this article that relate to beneficial ownership as between parties or as between parties and beneficiaries apply only to controversies between those persons and their creditors and other successors and do not apply to the right of those persons to payment as determined by the terms of the account. 14-6211 Ownership of accounts A. During the lifetime of all parties an account belongs to the parties in proportion to the net contribution of each to the sums on deposit unless there is clear and convincing evidence of a different intent. As between parties married to each other, in the absence of proof otherwise, the net contribution of each is presumed to be an equal amount. B. A beneficiary in an account having a pay on death designation has no right to sums on deposit during the lifetime of any party. C. An agent in an account with an agency designation has no beneficial right to sums on deposit. D. For the purposes of subsection A of this section, "net contribution" means the sum of all deposits to an account made by or for the party, less all payments from the account that are made to or for the party and that have not been paid to or applied to the use of another party and a proportionate share of any charges deducted from the account, plus a proportionate share of any interest or dividends earned, whether or not included in the current balance. Net contribution includes deposit life insurance proceeds added to the account by reason of the death of the party whose net contribution is in question. 14-6212 Death of a party; rights of survivors A. Except as otherwise provided in this section, on the death of a party, sums on deposit in a multiple party account belong to the surviving party or parties. If two or more parties survive and one is the surviving spouse of the decedent, the amount to which the decedent, immediately before death, was beneficially entitled under section 14-6211 belongs to the surviving spouse. If two or more parties survive and none is the surviving spouse of the decedent, the amount to which the decedent, immediately before death, was beneficially entitled under section 14-6211 belongs to the surviving parties in equal shares and augments the proportion to which each survivor, immediately before the decedent's death, was beneficially entitled under section 14-6211. The right of survivorship continues between the surviving parties. B. In an account with a pay on death designation: 1. On the death of one of two or more parties, the rights in sums on deposit are governed by subsection A of this section. 2. On the death of the sole party or the last survivor of two or more parties, sums on deposit belong to the surviving beneficiary or beneficiaries. If two or more beneficiaries survive, sums on deposit belong to them in equal and undivided shares. Thereafter there is no right of survivorship in the event of death of a beneficiary. If no beneficiary survives sums on deposit belong to the estate of the last surviving party. C. Sums on deposit in a single party account without a pay on death designation or in a multiple party account that, by the terms of the account, is without right of survivorship, are not affected by the death of a party. However, the amount to which the decedent, immediately before death, was beneficially entitled under section 14-6211 is transferred as part of the decedent's estate. A pay on death designation in a multiple party account without right of survivorship is ineffective. For purposes of this subsection, designation of an account as a tenancy in common establishes that the account is without right of survivorship. D. The ownership right of a surviving party or beneficiary or of the decedent's estate in sums on deposit is subject to requests for payment made by a party before the party's death, whether paid by the financial institution before or after death or unpaid. The surviving party or beneficiary or the decedent's estate is liable to the payee of an unpaid request for payment. The liability is limited to a proportionate share of the amount transferred under this section to the extent necessary to discharge the request for payment. 14-6213 Alteration of rights A. Rights at death under section 14-6212 are determined by the type of account at the death of a party. The type of account may be altered by written notice given by a party to the financial institution to change the type of account or to stop or vary payment under the terms of the account. The notice shall be signed by a party and received by the financial institution during the party's lifetime. B. A right of survivorship arising from the express terms of the account, section 14-6212 or a pay on death designation may not be altered by will. 14-6214 Accounts; transfers; nontestamentary effect A transfer of an account pursuant to section 14-6212 is effective by reason of the terms of the account involved and is not testamentary or subject to chapters 1 through 4 of this title. 14-6216 Community property; effect of account; right of survivorship A. A deposit of community property in an account does not alter the community character of the property or community rights in the property. B. A right of survivorship between parties married to each other arising from the express terms of the account or section 14-6212 may not be altered by will. 14-6221 Financial institutions; types of accounts A. A financial institution may enter into a contract of deposit for a multiple party account to the same extent it may enter into a contract of deposit for a single party account and may provide for a pay on death designation and an agency designation in either a single party account or a multiple party account. B. A financial institution need not inquire as to the source of a deposit to an account or as to the proposed application of a payment from an account. 14-6222 Multiple party accounts; payment; proof of death and survivorship A financial institution, on request, may pay sums on deposit on a multiple party account to: 1. One or more of the parties, whether or not another party is disabled, incapacitated or deceased when payment is requested and whether or not the party making the request survives another party. 2. The personal representative, or, if there is none, the heirs or devisees of a deceased party who present an affidavit in compliance with section 14-3971, subsection B and proof of death to the financial institution showing that the deceased party was the survivor of all other persons named on the account either as a party or beneficiary, unless the account is without right of survivorship under section 14-6212. 14-6223 Pay on death accounts; payment A financial institution, on request, may pay sums on deposit in an account with a pay on death designation to: 1. One or more of the parties, whether or not another party is disabled, incapacitated or deceased when the payment is requested and whether or not a party survives another party. 2. The beneficiary or beneficiaries, if proof of death is presented to the financial institution showing that the beneficiary or beneficiaries survived all persons named as parties. 3. The personal representative or, if there is none, the heirs or devisees of a deceased party, if proof of death is presented to the financial institution showing that the deceased party was the survivor of all other persons named on the account either as a party or beneficiary. 14-6224 Agency accounts; payment to designated agent A financial institution on request of an agent under an agency designation for an account may pay to the agent sums on deposit in the account, whether or not a party is disabled, incapacitated or deceased when the request is made or received, and whether or not the authority of the agent terminates on the disability or incapacity of a party. 14-6225 Payments to minors If a financial institution is required or permitted to make payment pursuant to this article to a minor designated as a beneficiary, payment may be made pursuant to the uniform transfers to minors act under chapter 7, article 7 of this title. 14-6226 Financial institutions; discharge of claims; exception A. A payment made pursuant to this article in accordance with the type of account discharges the financial institution from all claims for these amounts, whether or not the payment is consistent with the beneficial ownership of the account as between parties or beneficiaries or their successors. Payment may be made whether or not a party, beneficiary or agent is disabled, incapacitated or deceased when payment is requested, received or made. B. Protection under this section does not extend to payments made after a financial institution has received written notice from a party or from the deceased party's personal representative, surviving spouse or heir or devisee If this notice states that payments in accordance with the terms of the account, including one having an agency designation, should not be permitted and the financial institution has had a reasonable opportunity to act on it when the payment is made. Unless the notice is withdrawn by the person giving it, the successor of any deceased party shall concur in a request for payment if the financial institution is to be protected under this section. Unless a financial institution has been served with process in an action or proceeding, no other notice or other information shown to have been available to the financial institution affects its right to protection under this section. C. A financial institution that receives written notice pursuant to this section or otherwise has reason to believe that a dispute exists as to the rights of the parties may refuse, without liability, to make payments in accordance with the terms of the account. D. Protection of a financial institution under this section does not affect the rights of parties in disputes between themselves or their successors concerning the beneficial ownership of sums on deposit in accounts or payments made from accounts. 14-6227 Financial institutions; right to setoff against account Without qualifying any other statutory right to setoff or lien and subject to any contractual provision, if a party is indebted to a financial institution the financial institution has a right to a setoff against the account. The amount of the account subject to a setoff is the proportion to which the party is, or immediately before death was, beneficially entitled under section 14-6211 or, in the absence of proof of that proportion, an equal share with all parties. 14-6301 Definitions In this article, unless the context otherwise requires: 1. "Beneficiary form" means a registration of a security that indicates the present owner of the security and the intention of the owner regarding the person who will become the owner of the security on the owner's death. 2. "Register" means to issue a certificate that shows the ownership of a certificated security or, in the case of an uncertificated security, to initiate or transfer an account that shows ownership of securities. 3. "Registering entity" means a person who originates or transfers a security title by registration and includes a broker who maintains security accounts for customers and a transfer agent or other person who acts for or as an issuer of securities. 4. "Security" means any share, participation or other interest in property, in a business or in an obligation of an enterprise or other issuer and includes a certificated security, an uncertificated security and a security account. 5. "Security account" means: (a) A reinvestment account associated with a security, a securities account with a broker, a cash balance in a brokerage account, cash, interest, earnings or dividends earned or declared on a security in an account, a reinvestment account or a brokerage account, whether or not credited to the account before the owner's death. (b) A cash balance or any other property held for or due to the owner of a security as a replacement for or product of an account security, whether or not credited to the account before the owner's death. (c) An investment management or custody account with a trust company or a trust division of a bank with trust powers, and includes the securities in the account, a cash balance in the account, cash, cash equivalents, interest and earnings or dividends earned or declared on a security in the account, whether or not credited to the account before the owner's death. 14-6302 Registration of securities; form Only a person whose registration of a security shows sole ownership by one person or multiple ownership by two or more persons with right of survivorship, rather than as tenants in common, may obtain registration in beneficiary form. Multiple owners of a security registered in beneficiary form hold as joint tenants with right of survivorship or as owners of community property held in survivorship form and not as tenants in common. 14-6303 Registration in beneficiary form; applicable law A. A security may be registered in beneficiary form if the form is authorized by this or a similar statute of the state of organization of the issuer or registering entity, the location of the registering entity's principal office, the office of its transfer agent or its office making the registration or by this or a similar statute of the law of the state listed as the owner's address at the time of registration. B. A registration governed by the law of a jurisdiction in which a law that is similar to this article is not in force or was not in force when a registration in beneficiary form was made is presumed to be valid and authorized as a matter of contract law. 14-6304 Origination of registration A security, whether evidenced by certificate or account, is registered in beneficiary form if the registration includes a designation of a beneficiary to take the ownership at the death of the owner or the deaths of all multiple owners. 14-6305 Form of registration Registration in beneficiary form may be shown by the words "transfer on death" or the abbreviation "TOD" or by the words "pay on death" or the abbreviation "POD" after the name of the registered owner and before the name of a beneficiary. 14-6306 Effect of registration A. The designation of a transfer on death beneficiary on a registration in beneficiary form has no effect on ownership until the owner's death. B. A registration of a security in beneficiary form may be canceled or changed at any time by the sole owner or all then surviving owners without the consent of the beneficiary. 14-6307 Ownership on death of owner A. On death of a sole owner or the last to die of all multiple owners, ownership of securities registered in beneficiary form passes to the beneficiary or beneficiaries who survive all owners. On proof of the death of all of the owners and compliance with any applicable requirements of the registering entity, a security registered in beneficiary form may be reregistered in the name of the beneficiary or beneficiaries who survived the death of all owners. B. Until division of the security after the death of all owners, multiple beneficiaries surviving the death of all owners hold their interests as tenants in common. C. If no beneficiary survives the death of all owners, the security belongs to the estate of the deceased sole owner or the estate of the last to die of all multiple owners. 14-6308 Registering entity; obligations; protection A. A registering entity is not required to offer or to accept a request for security registration in beneficiary form. If a registration in beneficiary form is offered by a registering entity, the owner requesting registration in beneficiary form assents to the protections given to the registering entity by this article. B. By accepting a request for registration of a security in beneficiary form, the registering entity agrees that it will implement the registration on the death of the deceased owner as provided in this article. C. A registering entity is discharged from all claims to a security by the estate, creditors, heirs or devisees of a deceased owner if it registers a transfer of the security in accordance with section 14-6307 and does so in good faith reliance on the registration, on the requirements of this article and on information provided to it by affidavit of the personal representative of the deceased owner, the surviving beneficiary or the surviving beneficiary's representatives or by other information available to the registering entity. D. The protections of this section do not extend to a reregistration or payment made after a registering entity receives written notice that a claimant to any interest in the security objects to implementation of a registration in beneficiary form. No other notice or other information available to the registering entity affects its right to protection under this section. E. This section does not affect the rights of beneficiaries in disputes between themselves and other claimants to ownership of the security transferred or its value or proceeds. 14-6310 Registrations; terms, conditions and forms A. A registering entity that offers to accept registrations in beneficiary form may establish the terms and conditions under which it will receive and implement these requests as well as requests for cancellation of previously registered transfer on death beneficiary designations and requests for reregistration to effect a change of beneficiary. The terms and conditions may provide for proving death, avoiding or resolving any problems concerning fractional shares, designating primary and contingent beneficiaries and substituting a named beneficiary's descendants to take in the place of the named beneficiary in the event of the beneficiary's death. B. The registering entity may indicate a beneficiary substitution by appending to the name of the primary beneficiary the letters "LDPS" or the words "lineal descendants per stirpes". This designation substitutes a deceased beneficiary's descendants who survive the owner for a beneficiary who fails to survive, with the descendants to be identified and to share in accordance with the law of the beneficiary's domicile at the owner's death governing inheritance by descendants of an intestate. C. Other forms of identifying beneficiaries who are to take on one or more contingencies and rules for providing proofs and assurances needed to satisfy reasonable concerns by registering entities regarding conditions and identities relevant to accurate implementation of registrations in beneficiary form may be contained in a registering entity's terms and conditions. D. The following are illustrations of registrations in beneficiary form that a registering entity may authorize: 1. Sole owner-sole beneficiary by John S Brown TOD (or POD) John S Brown Jr. 2. Multiple owners-sole beneficiary by John S Brown Mary B Brown JT TEN TOD John S Brown Jr. 3. Multiple owners-primary and secondary (substituted) beneficiaries by either: (a) John S Brown Mary B Brown JT TEN TOD John S Brown Jr SUB BENE Peter Q Brown. (b) John S Brown Mary B Brown JT TEN TOD John S Brown Jr LDPS. 14-6311 Application of article This article applies to registrations of securities in beneficiary form made before or after December 31, 1994, by decedents dying on or after December 31, 1994.
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