Land Trust Agreement
This Trust Agreement is made on the _________________ (date) , to certify that
___________________________ (name) , a Banking Corporation organized under the laws of
the United States , with its principal office located at ___________________________________
_____________________________________ (street address, city, county, state, zip code) ,
hereinafter called Trustee , as Trustee, is about to take title to the following-described real estate
in _____________________ (Name of County and State) : (insert legal description) ______
___________________________________________________________________________.
This Trust Agreement is to further certify that, when Trustee has taken the title to the described
real estate, or to any of the real estate deeded to it as Trustee, Trustee will hold it for the uses
and purposes and on the trusts set forth in this Agreement.
1. Beneficiaries
The following named persons are the Beneficiaries of this Trust, and as such shall be
entitled to the earnings and proceeds of the Trust property according to the respective interests,
as follows:
Name Address Interest
_____________________ _________________________________ ________________
_____________________ _________________________________ ________________
_____________________ _________________________________ ________________
2. Interests of Beneficiaries as Personalty
The interests of the Beneficiaries shall consist solely of a power of direction to deal with
title to the Trust property, a power to manage and control the property as provided in this
Agreement and the right to receive the proceeds from rentals and from mortgages, sales, or
other disposition of the property. The right to the proceeds of the property shall be deemed to be
personal property and may be assigned and transferred as such. In case of the death of any
Beneficiary during the existence of this Trust, the Beneficiary's right and interest under this
Agreement shall, except as otherwise specifically provided, pass to the Beneficiary's executor or
administrator, and not to his or her heirs at law. No Beneficiary now has or shall have any right,
title, or interest in or to any proportion of any real estate as such, either legal or equitable, but
only an interest in the earnings and proceeds of the real estate.
3. Death of Beneficiary
The death of any Beneficiary shall not terminate the Trust or in any manner affect the
powers of Trustee.
4. Assignment of Beneficial Interests
No assignment of any beneficial interests under this Agreement shall be binding on
Trustee until the original or duplicate of the assignment in a form satisfactory to Trustee is
delivered to Trustee. Any assignment not so delivered to Trustee shall be void as to all
subsequent assignees or purchasers without notice.
5. Income Tax Returns
Trustee shall not be obligated to file any income, profit, or other tax reports or schedules.
The Beneficiaries shall individually make all such reports, and pay any and all taxes on the
earnings and proceeds of the trust property or growing out of their interest under this
Agreement.
6. Reimbursement and Indemnification of Trustee
If Trustee makes any advances of money on account of this Trust, is made a party to
any litigation on account of holding title to the real estate or in connection with this Trust, or if
Trustee is compelled to pay any sum of money on account of this Trust, whether on account of
a breach of contract, injury to personal property, fines or penalties under any law, or otherwise,
the Beneficiaries will on demand pay to Trustee, with interest at the rate of _____% per year, all
such disbursements or advances or payments made by Trustee, together with Trustee's
expenses, including reasonable attorney fees. Trustee shall not be called on to convey or
otherwise deal with the trust property at any time held under this Agreement until all of the
disbursements, payments, advances, and expenses made or incurred by Trustee have been
fully paid, together with interest. Trustee shall not be required to advance or to pay out any
money on account of this trust or to prosecute or defend any legal proceedings involving this
trust or any property or interest under this Agreement unless Trustee is furnished with funds
sufficient for the same or is satisfactorily indemnified.
7. Protection of Third Parties
No party dealing with Trustee in relation to the Trust property in any manner whatsoever,
and no party to whom the property or any part of or interest in it is conveyed, contracted to be
sold, leased, or mortgaged by Trustee, shall be obliged to see to the application of the purchase
money paid or to inquire into the necessity or expediency of any act of Trustee or the provisions
of this instrument.
8. Recordation
This Agreement shall not be placed on record in the recorder's office of the county in
which the Trust property is situated, or elsewhere. Any such recording shall not be considered
as notice of the rights of any person under this Agreement derogatory to the title or powers of
Trustee.
9. Disclosure of Beneficiaries’ Names
In the event of service of process on Trustee at any time, Trustee may in its discretion
disclose to the other parties to any such proceeding the names and addresses of the
Beneficiary or Beneficiaries.
10. Resignation of Trustee
Trustee may resign at any time by sending a notice of its intention to do so by registered
mail to each of the Beneficiaries at his or her address last known to Trustee. Such resignation
shall become effective (e.g. 10) _____ days after the mailing of the notices. In the event of the
Trustee's resignation, a successor or successors may be appointed by the person or persons
then entitled to direct Trustee in the disposition of the Trust property. Trustee shall then convey
the Trust property to such successor or successors in trust. If no successor in trust is named
within (e.g. 10) _____ days after the mailing of the notices, Trustee may convey the Trust
property to the Beneficiaries in accordance with their respective interests under this Agreement,
or Trustee may, at its option, file a bill for appropriate relief in any court of competent
jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the resignation of Trustee, Trustee shall continue to have a first lien
on the Trust property for its costs, expenses, and attorney fees, and for its reasonable
compensation. Every successor or successors in trust shall become fully vested with all the
estate, properties, rights, powers, trusts, duties, and obligations of its, his, her or their
predecessor.
11. Duties of Trustee
Trustee assumes and agrees to perform the following active and affirmative duties under
this Agreement:
A. When and as directed to do so in writing by the following named person or
persons: ______________________________________ (name or names) , Trustee
shall execute such instruments as shall be necessary:
1. To protect and conserve the Trust property;
2. To sell, contract to sell, and grant options to purchase the property and
any right, title or interest in the property on any terms;
3. To exchange the property or any part of it for any other real or personal
property on any terms;
4. To convey the property by deed or other conveyance to any grantee, with
or without consideration;
5. To mortgage, execute principal and interest notes, pledge or otherwise
encumber the property or any part of it;
6. To lease, contract to lease, grant options to lease and renew, extend,
amend, and otherwise modify leases on the property or any part of it, for any
period of time, for any rental, and on any other terms and conditions; and
7. To release, convey, or assign any other right, title, or interest whatsoever
in the property or any part of the property.
B. Any and all trust deeds, mortgages, and notes executed by Trustee shall contain
provisions exempting and exonerating the Beneficiaries under this Trust from all
personal obligation and liability whatsoever by reason of the execution of the same and
from any and all personal obligation or liability for the repayment of the borrowed money
evidenced and secured by the same.
C. Trustee shall not be required to inquire into the authenticity, necessity, or
propriety of any written direction delivered to it pursuant to this section or otherwise
under this Agreement. Any Beneficiary who is not vested with the foregoing power of
direction may, by a written notice delivered to Trustee, prevent Trustee from dealing with
title to the Trust property except on the written collective direction of all the Beneficiaries
under this Agreement.
D. If any property remains in trust (e.g. 20) years from the date of this Agreement,
Trustee shall promptly sell the same at public sale after a reasonable public
advertisement and reasonable notice of the sale to the Beneficiaries. After deducting its
reasonable fees and expenses, Trustee shall divide the proceeds of the sale among the
Beneficiaries as their interests may then appear without any direction or consent
whatsoever, or shall transfer, set over, convey, and deliver to all the then Beneficiaries of
this trust their respective undivided interest in any nondivisible assets, or shall transfer,
settle, and deliver all of the assets of the Trust to the Beneficiaries in their respective
proportionate interests at any time that the assets of the Trust consist solely of cash.
12. Management and Operation of Trust Property
The Beneficiaries shall, in their own right, have full and exclusive control over the
management and operation of the Trust property and control of the sale, rental, or other
disposition of it. Each Beneficiary, or his or her agent, shall collect and otherwise handle his or
her share of the rents and proceeds and the proceeds of any sale or other disposition. Trustee
shall have no duty respecting the payment of taxes, insurance premiums, or other costs or
charges against or concerning the Trust property.
13. Compensation of Trustee
The Beneficiaries shall pay Trustee as its compensation the following:
A. $_________ for accepting this Trust, taking title to the Trust property, and the
first annual fee.
B. $_________ per year, or any portion of a year, for holding title to the trust
property, as long as any property remains in Trust, commencing on _____________
(date) .
C. Trustee's regular schedule of fees for causing such deeds, mortgages, leases,
and other instruments to be executed as may be required under this Agreement.
D. Reasonable compensation for any special services that may be rendered by
Trustee under this Agreement, and for taking and holding title to any other property that
may later be conveyed to Trustee.
14. Binding on Successors
The terms and conditions of this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
on any successor Trustee and on all successors in interest of the Beneficiaries.
15. Governing Law
This Agreement shall be construed and regulated, and its validity and effect shall be
determined, by the laws of _______________ (state) , as such laws may from time to time exist.
Witness our signatures _________________ (date) .
___________________________
(Name of Trustee)
By: _________________________ _____________________________
____________________________ ____________________________
(P rinted name & Office in Corporation) (Name & Signature of Beneficiary)
__________________________
(Signature of Officer)
____________________________ ____________________________
_____________________________ ____________________________
(Name & Signature of Beneficiary) (Name & Signature of Beneficiary)
_____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
(Name & Signature of Beneficiary) (Name & Signature of Beneficiary)
(Acknowledgments)