Bills › 89th General Assembly

HF 291Withdrawn · SF 173 became law instead · February 16, 2021

Relating to trusts, including requirements for certifications of trust and the general order of abatement

Sponsored by the House Judiciary (companion To Sf 173 By Committee on Judiciary) Committee

Topics:Courts & civil law

Same legislation: SSB 1012, HSB 21, SF 173

Where it is now

  1. Done: IntroducedJanuary 12, 2021
  2. Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 12, 2021
  3. Done: House committeeJanuary 27, 2021
  4. Done: Passes the HouseFebruary 16, 2021
  5. Skipped: Senate committeeSkipped
  6. Done: Passes the SenateFebruary 3, 202146–0
  7. Done: To the GovernorMarch 8, 2021
  8. Done: Signed into lawMarch 8, 2021

SF 173 became law → The same legislation passed as SF 173, so this version was set aside. Go to SF 173 What’s a funnel?

What’s in it

This bill relates to trusts, including requirements for a certification of trust and abatement of a disposition in favor of a surviving spouse who did not take an elective share. Current law prescribes certain requirements to be included in certifications of trusts. Under the bill, certifications of trust must also state the names of all currently acting trustees and, if there is more than one trustee, whether the trustees may act individually, or must act as a majority or unanimously. Under current law, a certification of trust must be subscribed and sworn to under penalty of perjury before a notary public.

Read the full explanation

The bill provides that, in lieu of this procedure, a certification of trust may be dated and certified under penalty of perjury. Under current law, abatement occurs when the equitable assets of a deceased person are not sufficient to satisfy debts, creditors, or taxes.4703 provides a default order of abatement if the governing instrument is silent. Currently, shares allocated to residuary beneficiaries are abated first on a pro rata basis, followed by shares defined by dollar amount on a pro rata basis, and lastly the shares described as specific items of property are abated by the trustee among the beneficiaries as equitably as circumstances reasonably allow. A disposition in favor of a surviving spouse who has not taken an elective share is not abated when the abatement would result in increasing the amount of federal taxes payable by a person or entity. The bill provides that a disposition in favor of the surviving spouse who did not take an elective share is abated last, notwithstanding the current order of abatement which remains the same, and strikes the prohibition on such abatements which have the effect of increasing the amount of federal taxes payable by a person or entity.

Full bill text · What changed before it passed1

House subcommittee

Named January 12, 2021 (as HSB 21). On January 20, 2021 it recommended passage.

Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part

Iowa Code it changes

Amends§633A.4604§633A.4703

How the Code works2

Lobbying

4 for · 0 against · 3 undecided · Who →

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