Opinion ID: 2351923
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Pour-over Will

Text: [¶ 18] The 2008 will states, in pertinent part, that the ... rest, residue, and remainder of my[decedent's] probate estate, whether real or personal property, ..., which I may have the power to dispose of at the time of my death by testamentary disposition, ..., I hereby give, devise, bequeath, and appoint, IN TRUST, unto the successor Trustee of the DEANNA B. GEORGE TRUST, namely Elaine Nalee, who is my sister, or the alternate successor Trustee namely Jean Claude Bosio who is my brother-in-law,.... A `pour-over' devise is a provision in a will that (i) adds property to an inter vivos trust, or (ii) funds a trust that was not funded during the testator's lifetime but whose terms are in a trust instrument that was executed during the testator's lifetime. 1 Restatement (Third) of Property: Wills & Other Donative Transfers § 3.8 (1999). [¶ 19] The will also named Nalee as the personal representative and her brother-in-law as the alternate personal representative. The will also stated that the property would be disposed of and distributed by the successor trustee outside and exclusive of the supervisory or controlling jurisdiction of any Court. [¶ 20] The intent of the Decedent was that the matter would be handled without invoking the jurisdiction of the probate court. However, in this particular situation, the filing of the will and the Trust became necessary due to Poland's filing of the holographic will. Without the filing of the 2008 documents, the 2004 holographic will, if proven valid, could be admitted to probate. As demonstrated by this case, the creation of a trust and the transfer of the decedent's assets in the trust does not always obviate the need for a probate proceeding. Schneider v. Cate, 405 F.Supp.2d 1254, 1258 (D.Colo.2005). Due to the existence of the holographic will, a probate proceeding was necessary to determine the validity of the 2008 pour-over will and the effect of the 2008 Trust.