If a trust has two or more beneficiaries, the trustee shall act impartially in investing and managing the trust assets, taking into account any differing interests of the beneficiaries.
Source: L. 95: Entire article added, p. 311, § 1, effective July 1.
The duty of impartiality derives from the duty of loyalty. When the trustee owes duties to more than one beneficiary, loyalty requires the trustee to respect the interests of all the beneficiaries. Prudence in investing and administration requires the trustee to take account of the interests of all the beneficiaries for whom the trustee is acting, especially the conflicts between the interests of beneficiaries interested in income and those interested in principal.
The language of Section 6 derives from Restatement of Trusts 2d § 183 (1959); see also id., § 232. Multiple beneficiaries may be beneficiaries in succession (such as life and remainder interests) or beneficiaries with simultaneous interests (as when the income interest in a trust is being divided among several beneficiaries).
The trustee's duty of impartiality commonly affects the conduct of investment and management functions in the sphere of principal and income allocations. This Act prescribes no regime for allocating receipts and expenses. The details of such allocations are commonly handled under specialized legislation, such as the Revised Uniform Principal and Income Act (1962) (which is presently under study by the Uniform Law Commission with a view toward further revision).
Structure Colorado Code
Title 15 - Probate, Trusts, and Fiduciaries
Article 1.1 - Uniform Prudent Investor Act
§ 15-1.1-101. Prudent Investor Rule
§ 15-1.1-102. Standard of Care - Portfolio Strategy - Risk and Return Objectives
§ 15-1.1-104. Duties at Inception of Trusteeship
§ 15-1.1-107. Investment Costs
§ 15-1.1-108. Reviewing Compliance
§ 15-1.1-109. Delegation of Investment and Management Functions
§ 15-1.1-110. Language Invoking Standard of Article
§ 15-1.1-111. Application to Existing Trusts
§ 15-1.1-112. Uniformity of Application and Construction
§ 15-1.1-115. Colorado Changes to Uniform Act - Specific Statutes Control - Use of Term "Trustee"