Colorado Code
Part 4 - Uniform Principal and Income Act
§ 15-1-424. Derivatives and Options

Source: L. 2000: Entire part R&RE, p. 1144, § 1, effective July 1, 2001.
Scope and application. It is difficult to predict how frequently and to what extent trustees will invest directly in derivative financial instruments rather than participating indirectly through investment entities that may utilize these instruments in varying degrees. If the trust participates in derivatives indirectly through an entity, an amount received from the entity will be allocated under Section 15-1-411 and not Section 15-1-424. If a trustee invests directly in derivatives to a significant extent, the expectation is that receipts and disbursements related to derivatives will be accounted for under Section 15-1-413; if a trustee chooses not to account under Section 15-1-413, Section 15-1-424 (2) provides the default rule. Certain types of option transactions in which trustees may engage are dealt with in subsection (3) to distinguish those transactions from ones involving options that are embedded in derivative financial instruments.
Definition of "derivative." "Derivative" is a difficult term to define because new derivatives are invented daily as dealers tailor their terms to achieve specific financial objectives for particular clients. Since derivatives are typically contract-based, a derivative can probably be devised for almost any set of objectives if another party can be found who is willing to assume the obligations required to meet those objectives.
The most comprehensive definition of derivative is in the Exposure Draft of a Proposed Statement of Financial Accounting Standards titled "Accounting for Derivative and Similar Financial Instruments and for Hedging Activities," which was released by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) on June 20, 1996 (No. 162-B). The definition in Section 15-1-424 (1) is derived in part from the FASB definition. The purpose of the definition in subsection (1) is to implement the substantive rule in subsection (2) that provides for all receipts and disbursements to be allocated to principal to the extent the trustee elects not to account for transactions in derivatives under Section 15-1-413. As a result, it is much shorter than the FASB definition, which serves much more ambitious objectives.
A derivative is frequently described as including futures, forwards, swaps and options, terms that also require definition, and the definition in this Act avoids these terms. FASB used the same approach, explaining in paragraph 65 of the Exposure Draft:
The definition of derivative financial instrument in this Statement includes those financial instruments generally considered to be derivatives, such as forwards, futures, swaps, options, and similar instruments. The Board considered defining a derivative financial instrument by merely referencing those commonly understood instruments, similar to paragraph 5 of Statement 119, which says that "... a derivative financial instrument is a futures, forward, swap, or option contract, or other financial instrument with similar characteristics." However, the continued development of financial markets and innovative financial instruments could ultimately render a definition based on examples inadequate and obsolete. The Board, therefore, decided to base the definition of a derivative financial instrument on a description of the common characteristics of those instruments in order to accommodate the accounting for newly developed derivatives. (Footnote omitted.)
Marking to market. A gain or loss that occurs because the trustee marks securities to market or to another value during an accounting period is not a transaction in a derivative financial instrument that is income or principal under the Act -- only cash receipts and disbursements, and the receipt of property in exchange for a principal asset, affect a trust's principal and income accounts.
Receipt of property other than cash. If a trustee receives property other than cash upon the settlement of a derivatives transaction, that property would be principal under Section 15-1-414 (1)(b).
Options. Options to which subsection (3) applies include an option to purchase real estate owned by the trustee and a put option purchased by a trustee to guard against a drop in value of a large block of marketable stock that must be liquidated to pay estate taxes. Subsection (3) would also apply to a continuing and regular practice of selling call options on securities owned by the trust if the terms of the option require delivery of the securities. It does not apply if the consideration received or given for the option is something other than cash or property, such as cross-options granted in a buy-sell agreement between owners of an entity.

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