2023 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes › Title 20 - DECEDENTS, ESTATES AND FIDUCIARIES › Chapter 77 - Trusts › Section 7785 - Limitation of action against trustee

§ 7785. Limitation of action against trustee.
(a) Imposed by trustee's written reports.--
(1) A beneficiary is barred from challenging a transaction or asserting a claim against a trustee for breach of trust if:
(i) the trustee provided the beneficiary at least annually with periodic written financial reports concerning the trust;
(ii) the transaction was disclosed in a report to which subparagraph (i) refers or such report provided sufficient information so that the beneficiary knew or should have known of the potential claim or should have inquired into its existence;
(iii) in the 30 months after a report to which subparagraph (ii) refers was sent by the trustee to the beneficiary, the beneficiary did not notify the trustee in writing that the beneficiary challenges the transaction or asserts a claim and provides in writing the basis for that challenge or assertion; and
(iv) all reports were accompanied by a conspicuous written statement describing the effect of this paragraph.
(2) A claim not barred by paragraph (1) may nevertheless be barred by subsection (b).
(3) In a writing given to the trustee, a beneficiary of a trust may nominate another person to receive, on behalf of the beneficiary, the reports required by this section. By giving the reports required by this section to the nominee of the beneficiary, the trustee satisfies the trustee's duty to give the beneficiary the reports required by this section if:
(i) the trustee notifies the nominee that the report and future reports required by this section are being given to the nominee as representative of the beneficiary; and
(ii) the nominee does not decline to receive reports on behalf of the beneficiary in a writing given to the trustee no later than 60 days after receipt of the notice described in this subsection.
(4) The trustee may rely upon the beneficiary's nomination of another person to receive the reports required by this section on behalf of the beneficiary and the nominee's presumed acceptance of that representation under this subsection until the trustee receives a written rescission of the nomination from the beneficiary or a written declination to receive further reports from the nominee. No such rescission or declination shall render ineffective any report given by the trustee to the nominee before the trustee received the rescission or declination.
(b) Five-year absolute bar.--
If not previously barred by subsection (a) or section 7798 (relating to failure to present claim at audit):
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (1.1), (2) or (3), a claim by a beneficiary against a trustee, including a claim preserved by the beneficiary notifying the trustee in the manner described in subsection (a), shall be barred five years after the first to occur of the following events:
(i) the date after the removal, resignation or death of the trustee on which the beneficiary was given the notice required by section 7780.3(g) (relating to duty to inform and report);
(ii) the termination of the beneficiary's interest in the trust; or
(iii) the termination of the trust.
(1.1) A beneficiary who has challenged a transaction or asserted a claim as provided in subsection (a)(1)(iii) may not challenge the transaction or assert the claim against the trustee in a court or an arbitration proceeding commenced more than five years after the date the trustee sent the beneficiary the report described in subsection (a)(1)(i) and (ii).
(2) Except as set forth in paragraph (3), if the first to occur of the events set forth in paragraph (1) occurred before November 6, 2006, a claim described in paragraph (1) shall be barred five years after November 6, 2006.
(3) A claim described in paragraph (1) or (1.1) is not barred if, prior to the respective date set forth in either paragraph (1) or (2), the trustee has filed an account with the court or the beneficiary has petitioned the court to compel the trustee to file an account.
(Oct. 27, 2010, P.L.837, No.85, eff. 60 days; July 8, 2016, P.L.497, No.79, eff. Jan. 1, 2017)
2016 Amendment.
Act 79 added subsec. (a)(3) and (4).
Cross References.
Section 7785 is referred to in sections 5603, 7772 of this title.