2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations › Title II - Descent and Distribution, Wills, Estates of Deceased Persons and Absentees, Guardianship, Conservatorship and Trusts › Chapter 203b - Uniform Custodial Trust Act › Section 18 - Transfer of Property to Create Trust

Section 18. (a) If a transaction, including a declaration with respect to or a transfer of specific property, otherwise satisfies applicable law, the criteria of section two shall be satisfied by:
(1) the execution and either delivery to the custodial trustee or recording of an instrument in substantially the following form:
TRANSFER UNDER THE MASSACHUSETTS UNIFORM CUSTODIAL TRUST ACT
I, ___ (name of transferor or name and representative capacity if a fiduciary), transfer to ___ (name of trustee other than transferor), as custodial trustee for ___ (name of beneficiary) as beneficiary and ___ as distributee on termination of the trust in absence of direction by the beneficiary under the Massachusetts Uniform Custodial Trust Act, the following: (insert a description of the custodial trust property legally sufficient to identify and transfer each item of property).
Dated:__________________________
________________________________
(Signature); or
(2) the execution and the recording or giving notice of its execution to the beneficiary of an instrument in substantially the following form:
DECLARATION OF TRUST UNDER THE MASSACHUSETTS
UNIFORM CUSTODIAL TRUST ACT
I, ___ (name of owner of property), declare that henceforth I hold as custodial trustee for ___ (name of beneficiary other than transferor) as beneficiary and ___ as distributee on termination of the trust in absence of direction by the beneficiary under the Massachusetts Uniform Custodial Trust Act, the following: (Insert a description of the custodial trust property legally sufficient to identify and transfer each item of property).
Dated:__________________________
________________________________
(Signature);
(b) Customary methods of transferring or evidencing ownership of property may be used to create a custodial trust, including any of the following:
(1) registration of a security in the name of a trust company, an adult other than the transferor, or the transferor if the beneficiary is other than the transferor, designated in substance ''as custodial trustee for ___ (name of beneficiary) under the Massachusetts Uniform Custodial Trust Act'';
(2) delivery of a certificated security, or a document necessary for the transfer of an uncertificated security, together with any necessary endorsement, to an adult other than the transferor or to a trust company as custodial trustee, accompanied by an instrument in substantially the form prescribed in clause (1) of subsection (a);
(3) payment of money or transfer of a security held in the name of a broker or a financial institution or its nominee to a broker or financial institution for credit to an account in the name of a trust company, an adult other than the transferor, or the transferor if the beneficiary is other than the transferor, designated in substance: ''as custodial trustee for ___ (name of beneficiary) under the Massachusetts Uniform Custodial Trust Act'';
(4) registration of ownership of a life or endowment insurance policy or annuity contract with the issuer in the name of a trust company, an adult other than the transferor, or the transferor if the beneficiary is other than the transferor, designated in substance: ''as custodial trustee for ___ (name of beneficiary) under the Massachusetts Uniform Custodial Trust Act'';
(5) delivery of a written assignment to an adult other than the transferor or to a trust company whose name in the assignment is designated in substance by the words: ''as custodial trustee for ___ (name of beneficiary) under the Massachusetts Uniform Custodial Trust Act'';
(6) irrevocable exercise of a power of appointment, pursuant to its terms, in favor of a trust company, an adult other than the donee of the power, or the donee who holds the power if the beneficiary is other than the donee, whose name in the appointment is designated in substance: ''as custodial trustee for ___ (name of beneficiary) under the Massachusetts Uniform Custodial Trust Act'';
(7) delivery of a written notification or assignment of a right to future payment under a contract to an obligor which transfers the right under the contract to a trust company, an adult other than the transferor, or the transferor if the beneficiary is other than the transferor, whose name in the notification or assignment is designated in substance: ''as custodial trustee for ___ (name of beneficiary) under the Massachusetts Uniform Custodial Trust Act'';
(8) execution, delivery, and recordation of a conveyance of an interest in real property in the name of a trust company, an adult other than the transferor, or the transferor if the beneficiary is other than the transferor, designated in substance: ''as custodial trustee for ___ (name of beneficiary) under the Massachusetts Uniform Custodial Trust Act'';
(9) issuance of a certificate of title by an agency of a state or of the United States which evidences title to tangible personal property:
(i) issued in the name of a trust company, an adult other than the transferor, or the transferor if the beneficiary is other than the transferor, designated in substance: ''as custodial trustee for ___ (name of beneficiary) under the Massachusetts Uniform Custodial Trust Act''; or
(ii) delivered to a trust company or an adult other than the transferor or endorsed by the transferor to that person, designated in substance: ''as custodial trustee for ___ (name of beneficiary) under the Massachusetts Uniform Custodial Trust Act''; or
(10) execution and delivery of an instrument or gift to a trust company or an adult other than the transferor, designated in substance: ''as custodial trustee for ___ (name of beneficiary) under the Massachusetts Uniform Custodial Trust Act.''