(a) A trustee shall administer the trust solely in the interests of the beneficiaries.
(b) Subject to the rights of persons dealing with or assisting the trustee as provided in Section 62-7-1012, a sale, encumbrance, or other transaction involving the investment or management of trust property entered into by the trustee for the trustee's own personal account or which is otherwise affected by a conflict between the trustee's fiduciary and personal interests is voidable by a beneficiary affected by the transaction unless:
(1) the transaction was authorized by the terms of the trust;
(2) the transaction was approved by the court;
(3) the beneficiary did not commence a judicial proceeding within the time allowed by Section 62-7-1005;
(4) the beneficiary consented to the trustee's conduct, ratified the transaction, or released the trustee in compliance with Section 62-7-1009; or
(5) the transaction involves a contract entered into or claim acquired by the trustee before the person became or contemplated becoming trustee.
(c) A sale, encumbrance, or other transaction involving the investment or management of trust property is presumed to be affected by a conflict between personal and fiduciary interests if it is entered into by the trustee with:
(1) the trustee's spouse;
(2) the trustee's descendants, siblings, parents, or their spouses;
(3) an agent or attorney of the trustee;
(4) a corporation or other person or enterprise in which the trustee has such a substantial interest that it might affect the trustee's best judgment; and
(5) a corporation or other person or enterprise which has such a substantial interest in the trustee that it might affect the trustee's best judgment.
(d) A transaction between a trustee and a beneficiary that does not concern trust property but that occurs during the existence of the trust or while the trustee retains significant influence over the beneficiary and from which the trustee obtains an advantage is voidable by the beneficiary unless the trustee establishes that the transaction was fair to the beneficiary.
(e) A transaction not concerning trust property in which the trustee engages in the trustee's individual capacity involves a conflict between personal and fiduciary interests if the transaction concerns an opportunity properly belonging to the trust.
(f) An investment by a trustee in securities of an investment company or investment trust to which the trustee, or its affiliate, provides services in a capacity other than as trustee is not presumed to be affected by a conflict between personal and fiduciary interests if the investment otherwise complies with the prudent investor rule of Part 9. The trustee may be compensated by the investment company or investment trust for providing those services out of fees charged to the trust if the trustee at least annually notifies the persons entitled under Section 62-7-813 to receive a copy of the trustee's annual report of the rate and method by which the compensation was determined.
(g) In voting shares of stock or in exercising powers of control over similar interests in other forms of enterprise, the trustee shall act in the best interests of the beneficiaries. If the trust is the sole owner of a corporation or other form of enterprise, the trustee shall elect or appoint directors or other managers who will manage the corporation or enterprise in the best interests of the beneficiaries.
(h) This section does not preclude the following transactions, if fair to the beneficiaries:
(1) an agreement between a trustee and a beneficiary relating to the appointment or compensation of the trustee;
(2) payment of reasonable compensation to the trustee;
(3) a transaction between a trust and another trust, decedent's estate, or conservatorship of which the trustee is a fiduciary or in which a beneficiary has an interest;
(4) a deposit of trust money in a regulated financial-service institution operated by the trustee; or
(5) an advance by the trustee of money for the protection of the trust.
(i) The court may appoint a special fiduciary to make a decision with respect to any proposed transaction that might violate this section if entered into by the trustee.
HISTORY: 2005 Act No. 66, Section 1; 2013 Act No. 100, Section 2, eff January 1, 2014.
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 62 - South Carolina Probate Code
Article 7 - South Carolina Trust Code
Section 62-7-101. Short title.
Section 62-7-103. Definitions.
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 62-7-301. 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 62-7-413. 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 62-7-605. 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 62-7-704. 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 62-7-904E. Fair market value of trust assets.
Section 62-7-904F. Administration of a total return unitrust.
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 62-7-904P. Trustee considerations for unitrust amount paid.
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 62-7-916. 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 62-7-931. 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.