South Carolina Code of Laws
Article 7 - South Carolina Trust Code
Section 62-7-1013. Certification of trust.

(a) Instead of furnishing a copy of the trust instrument to a person other than a beneficiary, the trustee may furnish to the person a certification of trust containing the following information:
(1) that the trust exists and the date the trust instrument was executed;
(2) the identity of the settlor;
(3) the identity and address of the currently acting trustee;
(4) the powers of the trustee which may make a reference to the powers set forth in the South Carolina Trust Code;
(5) the revocability or irrevocability of the trust and the identity of any person holding a power to revoke the trust;
(6) the authority of cotrustees to sign or otherwise authenticate and whether all or less than all are required in order to exercise powers of the trustee; and
(7) the manner of taking title to trust property.
(b) A certification of trust may be signed or otherwise authenticated by any trustee.
(c) A certification of trust must state that the trust has not been revoked, modified, or amended in any manner that would cause the representations contained in the certification of trust to be incorrect.
(d) A certification of trust need not contain the dispositive terms of a trust.
(e) A recipient of a certification of trust may require the trustee to furnish copies of those excerpts from the original trust instrument and later amendments which designate the trustee and confer upon the trustee the power to act in the pending transaction.
(f) A person who acts in reliance upon a certification of trust without knowledge that the representations contained therein are incorrect is not liable to any person for so acting and may assume without inquiry the existence of the facts contained in the certification. Knowledge of the terms of the trust may not be inferred solely from the fact that a copy of all or part of the trust instrument is held by the person relying upon the certification.
(g) A person who in good faith enters into a transaction in reliance upon a certification of trust may enforce the transaction against the trust property as if the representations contained in the certification were correct.
(h) A person making a demand for the trust instrument in addition to a certification of trust or excerpts is liable for damages if the court determines that the person did not act in good faith in demanding the trust instrument.
(i) This section does not limit the right of a person to obtain a copy of the trust instrument in a judicial proceeding concerning the trust.
(j) In a transaction involving title to real property, the certificate of trust must be executed and acknowledged in a manner that permits its recordation in the Office of the Register of Deeds or Clerk of Court in the county in which the real property is located.
(k) The Certificate of Trust may be either in the form set forth below or in any other form that satisfies the above requirements.
Settlor: ________________________________
Name of Trust: ________________________________
Date of Trust: ________________________________
Current Trustee(s): ________________________________
Address of Trust: ________________________________
The undersigned trustee(s) does hereby confirm the existence of the within described Trust and certify the following:
1. The undersigned is/are all of the currently serving trustee(s).
2. The Trust is in full force and effect and has not been revoked, terminated or otherwise amended in any manner which would cause the representations in this Certification of Trust to be incorrect.
3. The Trust is revocable/irrevocable. (If revocable, define who can revoke the document).
4. The above designated trustee(s) is/are fully empowered to act for said Trust and is/are properly exercising the trustee's authority under this Trust. No other trustee or other individual or entity is required to execute any document for the Trust.
5. The signature(s) of _______ of the trustees is/are required for any action taken on behalf of the Trust. (Define signature requirements)
6. The proper manner for taking title to Trust property is:
[Name(s) of all current trustees], Trustee
[Name of trust], dated [Date of trust]
7. To the undersigned's knowledge, there are no claims, challenges of any kind, or cause of action alleged, which contest or question the validity of the Trust or the trustee's authority to act for the Trust.
8. The trustee is authorized by the Trust Agreement to ______________________________. (State, synopsize, or describe relevant powers.)
IN WITNESS THEREOF: the undersigned, being all of the trustees, do hereby execute this Certificate of Trust this ___ day of ____________________, 20__.
Witnesses: Trustee(s):
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA ) ) ACKNOWLEDGMENT COUNTY OF __________________ )
I,____________________, do hereby certify that trustee(s) personally appeared before me this day and acknowledged the due execution of the foregoing instrument. Witness my hand and official seal this the day of ______, 20__
(SEAL)
Notary Public for South Carolina
My Commission Expires:
HISTORY: 2005 Act No. 66, Section 1; 2010 Act No. 244, Section 58, eff June 7, 2010; 2013 Act No. 100, Section 2, eff January 1, 2014.
Effect of Amendment
The 2010 amendment in subsection (a) deleted the language of subdivision (7) and redesignated former subdivision (8) as subdivision (7); added a new subsection (j); redesignated former subsection (j) as subsection (k) and deleted the last line thereof; and made other nonsubstantive changes.

Structure South Carolina Code of Laws

South Carolina Code of Laws

Title 62 - South Carolina Probate Code

Article 7 - South Carolina Trust Code

Section 62-7-101. Short title.

Section 62-7-102. Scope.

Section 62-7-103. Definitions.

Section 62-7-104. Knowledge.

Section 62-7-105. Default and mandatory rules.

Section 62-7-106. Common law of trusts; principles of equity.

Section 62-7-107. Governing law.

Section 62-7-108. Principal place of administration.

Section 62-7-109. Methods and waiver of notice.

Section 62-7-110. Requirement of notice to others.

Section 62-7-111. Nonjudicial settlement agreements.

Section 62-7-112. Rules of construction.

Section 62-7-201. Role of court in administration of trust.

Section 62-7-202. Jurisdiction over trustee and beneficiary.

Section 62-7-204. Venue.

Section 62-7-301. When parties bound by others.

Section 62-7-302. Representation by holder of general testamentary power of appointment.

Section 62-7-303. Representation by fiduciaries and parents.

Section 62-7-304. Representation by person having substantially identical interest.

Section 62-7-305. Appointment of representative.

Section 62-7-401. Methods of creating trust.

Section 62-7-402. Requirements for creation; merger of title.

Section 62-7-403. Trusts created in other jurisdictions.

Section 62-7-404. Trust purposes.

Section 62-7-405. Charitable purposes; enforcement.

Section 62-7-406. Creation of trust induced by fraud, duress, or undue influence.

Section 62-7-407. Evidence of oral trust.

Section 62-7-408. Trust for care of animal.

Section 62-7-409. Noncharitable trust without ascertainable beneficiary.

Section 62-7-410. Modification or termination of trust; proceedings for approval or disapproval.

Section 62-7-411. Modification or termination of noncharitable irrevocable trust by consent with court approval.

Section 62-7-412. Modification or termination because of unanticipated circumstances or inability to administer trust effectively.

Section 62-7-413. Equitable deviation.

Section 62-7-414. Modification or termination of uneconomic trust.

Section 62-7-415. Reformation to correct mistakes.

Section 62-7-416. Modification to achieve settlor's tax objectives.

Section 62-7-417. Combination and division of trusts.

Section 62-7-418. Estate and possession of trust estates shall be in beneficiaries.

Section 62-7-501. Rights of beneficiary's creditor or assignee.

Section 62-7-502. Spendthrift provision.

Section 62-7-503. Exceptions to spendthrift provision.

Section 62-7-504. Discretionary trusts; effect of standard.

Section 62-7-505. Creditors' claims against settlor.

Section 62-7-506. Overdue distribution.

Section 62-7-507. Personal obligations of trustee.

Section 62-7-601. Capacity of settlor of revocable trust.

Section 62-7-602. Revocation or amendment of revocable trust.

Section 62-7-602A. Powers of agent acting pursuant to power of attorney.

Section 62-7-603. Settlor's powers.

Section 62-7-604. Limitation on action contesting validity of revocable trust; distribution of trust property.

Section 62-7-605. Effect of penalty clause for contest.

Section 62-7-606. Anti-lapse provision in trust.

Section 62-7-607. Divorce or annulment as revoking revocable trust.

Section 62-7-701. Accepting or declining trusteeship.

Section 62-7-702. Trustee's bond.

Section 62-7-703. Cotrustees.

Section 62-7-704. Vacancy in trusteeship; appointment of successor.

Section 62-7-705. Resignation of trustee.

Section 62-7-706. Removal of trustee.

Section 62-7-707. Delivery of property by former trustee.

Section 62-7-708. Compensation of trustee.

Section 62-7-709. Reimbursement of expenses.

Section 62-7-801. Duty to administer trust.

Section 62-7-802. Duty of loyalty.

Section 62-7-803. Impartiality.

Section 62-7-804. Prudent administration.

Section 62-7-805. Costs of administration.

Section 62-7-806. Trustee's skills.

Section 62-7-807. Delegation by trustee.

Section 62-7-808. Powers to direct.

Section 62-7-809. Control and protection of trust property.

Section 62-7-810. Recordkeeping and identification of trust property.

Section 62-7-811. Enforcement and defense of claims.

Section 62-7-812. Exercise of powers by successor trustees; liability.

Section 62-7-813. Duty to inform and report.

Section 62-7-814. Discretionary powers; tax savings.

Section 62-7-815. General powers of trustee.

Section 62-7-816. Specific powers of trustee.

Section 62-7-816A. Authority to appoint the property of original trust to second trust.

Section 62-7-817. Distribution upon termination.

Section 62-7-818. Powers and discretions of a trust protector.

Section 62-7-819. Powers of a trust investment advisor.

Section 62-7-901. Short title.

Section 62-7-902. Definitions.

Section 62-7-903. Allocation of receipts and disbursements.

Section 62-7-904. Adjustments between principal and income.

Section 62-7-904A. Judicial control of discretionary power.

Section 62-7-904B. Definitions for Sections 62-7-904C through 62-7-904P.

Section 62-7-904C. Trustee's power to convert an income trust to a total return unitrust, reconvert a total return unitrust to an income trust, or change the percentage used to calculate the unitrust amount.

Section 62-7-904D. Petition by trustee or qualified beneficiary to convert an income trust, reconvert a total return unitrust, or change the percentage used to calculate the unitrust amount.

Section 62-7-904E. Fair market value of trust assets.

Section 62-7-904F. Administration of a total return unitrust.

Section 62-7-904G. Distribution of unitrust amount considered distribution of income and not of principal.

Section 62-7-904H. Limitation of liability.

Section 62-7-904I. Applicability of Sections 62-7-904B through 62-7-904P.

Section 62-7-904M. Unitrust amount to be distributed by the express total return unitrust.

Section 62-7-904N. Distribution from an express total return unitrust.

Section 62-7-904O. Express total return unitrust governing instrument; changing the unitrust percentage; converting from a unitrust to an income trust; reconversion of an income trust to a unitrust.

Section 62-7-904P. Trustee considerations for unitrust amount paid.

Section 62-7-905. Determinations of income and principal; distributions upon death or end of an income interest in a trust.

Section 62-7-906. Determination and distribution of net income.

Section 62-7-907. Beginning and end of income interests.

Section 62-7-908. Allocation of income receipts and disbursements.

Section 62-7-909. Undistributed income.

Section 62-7-910. Allocation of receipts from an entity to principal or income.

Section 62-7-911. Allocations of income and principal received from a trust or an estate.

Section 62-7-912. Separate accounting for a business activity.

Section 62-7-913. Allocations to principal.

Section 62-7-914. Accounting for receipts from rental property.

Section 62-7-915. Allocation of interest as income and proceeds from disposition of an obligation as principal; exceptions.

Section 62-7-916. Allocation of proceeds of insurance contracts; exception.

Section 62-7-917. Insubstantial allocations.

Section 62-7-918. Allocation of payments; interest, dividends, or payments.

Section 62-7-919. Liquidating assets.

Section 62-7-920. Allocation of receipts from interests in minerals or other natural resources.

Section 62-7-921. Allocation of receipts from sale of timber and related products.

Section 62-7-922. Marital deduction adjustments.

Section 62-7-923. Allocation of derivatives; options.

Section 62-7-924. Allocation of payments related to asset-backed securities.

Section 62-7-925. Disbursements from income.

Section 62-7-926. Disbursements from principal.

Section 62-7-927. Transfer to principal of cash receipts from asset subject to depreciation.

Section 62-7-928. Future principal disbursements reserves.

Section 62-7-929. Payment of taxes from income and principal.

Section 62-7-930. Certain adjustments between principal and income; reduction of marital deduction or charitable contribution deduction.

Section 62-7-931. Application and construction of Uniform Principal and Income Act.

Section 62-7-933. Uniform Prudent Investor Act.

Section 62-7-1001. Remedies for breach of trust.

Section 62-7-1002. Damages for breach of trust.

Section 62-7-1003. Damages in absence of breach.

Section 62-7-1004. Attorney's fees and costs.

Section 62-7-1005. Limitation of action against trustee.

Section 62-7-1005A. Trust protector.

Section 62-7-1005B. Trust investment advisor.

Section 62-7-1006. Reliance on trust instrument.

Section 62-7-1007. Event affecting administration or distribution.

Section 62-7-1008. Exculpation of trustee.

Section 62-7-1009. Beneficiary's consent, release, or ratification.

Section 62-7-1010. Limitation on personal liability of trustee.

Section 62-7-1011. Interest as general partner.

Section 62-7-1012. Protection of person dealing with trustee.

Section 62-7-1013. Certification of trust.

Section 62-7-1101. Uniformity of application and construction.

Section 62-7-1102. Electronic records and signatures.

Section 62-7-1103. Severability clause.

Section 62-7-1106. Application to existing relationships.