Massachusetts General Laws
Article 4 - Creation, Validity, Modification and Termination of Trust
Section 402 - Requirements for Creation

Section 402. Requirements for creation
(a) A trust shall be created only if:
(1) the settlor has capacity to create a trust;
(2) the settlor indicates an intention to create the trust;
(3) the trust has a definite beneficiary or is:
(A) a charitable trust;
(B) a trust for the care of an animal, as provided in section 408; or
(C) a trust for a non-charitable purpose, as provided in section 409;
(4) the trustee has duties to perform; and
(5) the same person is not the sole trustee and sole beneficiary.
(b) A beneficiary shall be definite if the beneficiary can be ascertained now or in the future, subject to any applicable rule against perpetuities.
(c) A power in a trustee to select a beneficiary from an indefinite class shall be valid. If the power is not exercised within a reasonable time, the power shall fail and the property subject to the power shall pass to the persons who would have taken the property had the power not been conferred.

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