1 EQUITY AND TRUST Characteristics of trusts: A trust can be regarded as a legal relation formed either in lifetime or after death by a settlor when the assets are kept in the control of a trustee for the beneficiary’ benefit or can be for some other specified purpose1. The characteristics of a trust are discussed in the following pat of the answer. A trust must possess the following characteristics: The trust allows the separate legal ownership with the beneficial interest such that the trustees assume the power of the owners of the trust property in cases where the third parties are considered2. Further the beneficiaries can expect that the trust property will be managed by the trustees for their advantage and benefit. The assets of a trust form a separate fund and it does not form part of the personal estate belonging to the trustee3. Legal title of the trust is either in the trustee’s name or in another person’s name acting on behalf of the trustee. The trustee possesses the power as well as duty for which he can be made accountable to cause the managing, employing or disposing the assets of the trusts according to the terms of the trust and as per the duties imposed by law on him4. The principal duty of the trustee is to protect the interest of the beneficiaries. The settlor of a trust can reserve certain rights and powers with him and the fact that the trustee acts as a beneficiary cannot be said to be inconsistent with the trust’s existence. 1Penner, James.The law of trusts. Oxford University Press, 2016. 2Sitkoff, Robert H. "Fiduciary Principles in Trust Law." (2018): 18-19. 3Campbell, Sam. "Personal liability of a trustee to tax on trust income: Part 1."Taxation in Australia53.5 (2018): 263. 4Hudson, Alastair.Understanding equity & trusts. Routledge, 2016.
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3 EQUITY AND TRUST References: Campbell, Sam. "Personal liability of a trustee to tax on trust income: Part 1."Taxation in Australia53.5 (2018): 263. Hudson, Alastair.Understanding equity & trusts. Routledge, 2016. Penner, James.The law of trusts. Oxford University Press, 2016. Sitkoff, Robert H. "Fiduciary Principles in Trust Law." (2018): 18-19.