A. The trustees may authorize and the business trust may make distributions to its beneficial owners, subject to restriction by the articles of trust or governing instrument and the limitation in subsection C.
B. If the trustees do not fix the record date for determining beneficial owners entitled to a distribution, other than one involving a repurchase or reacquisition of beneficial interests, it is the date the trustees authorize the distribution.
C. No distribution may be made if, after giving it effect:
1. The business trust would not be able to pay its debts as they become due in the usual course of business; or
2. The business trust's total assets would be less than the sum of its total liabilities plus (unless the articles of trust permit otherwise) the amount that would be needed, if the business trust were to be dissolved at the time of the distribution, to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution of beneficial interests whose preferential rights are superior to those receiving the distribution.
D. The trustees may base a determination that a distribution is not prohibited under subsection C either on financial statements prepared on the basis of accounting practices and principles that are reasonable in the circumstances or on a fair valuation or other method that is reasonable in the circumstances.
E. The effect of a distribution under subsection C is measured:
1. In the case of a distribution by purchase, redemption, or other acquisition of the business trust's beneficial interests, as of the earlier of (i) the date money or other property is transferred or debt incurred by the business trust or (ii) the date the beneficial owners cease to be beneficial owners with respect to the acquired beneficial interests;
2. In the case of any other distribution of indebtedness, as of the date the indebtedness is distributed;
3. In all other cases, as of (i) the date the distribution is authorized if the payment occurs within 120 days after the date of authorization or (ii) the date payment is made if it occurs more than 120 days after the date of authorization.
F. A business trust's indebtedness to a beneficial owner incurred by reason of a distribution made in accordance with this section is at parity with the business trust's indebtedness to its general, unsecured creditors except to the extent subordinated by agreement.
2002, c. 621.
Structure Code of Virginia
Chapter 14 - Virginia Business Trust Act
§ 13.1-1202. Filing requirements
§ 13.1-1203. Issuance of certificate by Commission; recordation of documents
§ 13.1-1204. Fees for filing documents and issuing certificates
§ 13.1-1205. Unlawful to sign false documents; penalty
§ 13.1-1206. Unlawful to transact or offer to transact business as a business trust; penalty
§ 13.1-1207. Tax classification
§ 13.1-1208. Separate legal entity
§ 13.1-1212. Articles of trust
§ 13.1-1213. Articles of correction
§ 13.1-1216. Amendment of articles of trust
§ 13.1-1217. Restatement of articles of trust
§ 13.1-1219. Governing instrument
§ 13.1-1220. Registered office and registered agent
§ 13.1-1221. Change of registered office or registered agent
§ 13.1-1222. Resignation of registered agent
§ 13.1-1223. Service on business trust
§ 13.1-1224. Beneficial owners
§ 13.1-1225. Limited liability
§ 13.1-1226. Beneficial interests
§ 13.1-1227. Distributions to beneficial owners
§ 13.1-1228. Trustee management; limitation on duties and liabilities of others
§ 13.1-1233. Payment of and security for expenses
§ 13.1-1234. Dissolution generally
§ 13.1-1235. Judicial dissolution
§ 13.1-1237. Distribution of assets upon dissolution
§ 13.1-1238. Articles of cancellation
§ 13.1-1238.1. Automatic cancellation of business trust existence
§ 13.1-1238.2. Involuntary cancellation of business trust existence
§ 13.1-1239. Reinstatement of a business trust that has ceased to exist
§ 13.1-1240. Dissolution of series
§ 13.1-1241. Authority to transact business required; governing law
§ 13.1-1242. Application for certificate of registration
§ 13.1-1245. Amendments; amended applications for registration
§ 13.1-1246. Voluntary cancellation of certificate of registration
§ 13.1-1246.1. Automatic cancellation of registration
§ 13.1-1246.2. Involuntary cancellation of registration
§ 13.1-1246.3. Reinstatement of a certificate of registration that has been canceled
§ 13.1-1247. Transaction of business without registration; civil penalty
§ 13.1-1248. Actions by Attorney General
§ 13.1-1249. Transactions not constituting doing business
§ 13.1-1250. Merger of foreign business trust registered to transact business in Commonwealth
§ 13.1-1254. Penalty for failure to timely pay annual registration fees or file statement of change
§ 13.1-1256. Collection by suit and of unpaid bills
§ 13.1-1257. Authorization for merger
§ 13.1-1259. Exchange of securities; termination or amendment of merger
§ 13.1-1261. Articles of merger
§ 13.1-1262. Governing instrument
§ 13.1-1263.1. Abandonment of merger
§ 13.1-1266. Plan of domestication
§ 13.1-1267. Action on plan of domestication by a domestic business trust
§ 13.1-1268. Articles of domestication
§ 13.1-1269. Surrender of articles of trust upon domestication
§ 13.1-1270. Effect of domestication
§ 13.1-1271. Abandonment of domestication
§ 13.1-1272. Entity conversion
§ 13.1-1273. Plan of entity conversion
§ 13.1-1274. Action on plan of entity conversion
§ 13.1-1275. Articles of entity conversion
§ 13.1-1276. Effect of entity conversion
§ 13.1-1277. Abandonment of entity conversion
§ 13.1-1279. Inspection of records by beneficial owners
§ 13.1-1280. Scope of inspection right
§ 13.1-1281. Court-ordered inspection
§ 13.1-1282. Construction and application of chapter and governing instrument
§ 13.1-1283. Reservation of power to amend or repeal
§ 13.1-1284. Application to existing real estate investment trusts and foreign business trusts