trust administrationv.
Reviewed by Owen Hathaway, AttorneyUpdated June 9, 2026The ongoing work of running a trust after the settlor's death or incapacity: taking control of assets, notifying beneficiaries, paying expenses, and distributing as the trust directs.
Trust administration is the process by which a trustee carries out a trust's terms, especially after the settlor's incapacity or death. It includes taking control of trust assets, notifying beneficiaries, valuing and managing property, paying debts and taxes, and distributing assets as the trust directs.
Although trust administration generally avoids court supervision, it still involves legal duties and deadlines, and a trustee who handles it carelessly faces personal liability. It is often faster and more private than probate.
Colorado trust administration follows the Colorado Uniform Trust Code (C.R.S. Title 15, Article 5), including notice requirements to qualified beneficiaries. Wyoming follows its Uniform Trust Code (Wyo. Stat. Title 4, Ch. 10). Funding determines what the trustee actually administers.
Related terms
- trusteeThe person or institution that holds and manages trust property under the trust's terms, for the benefit of the beneficiaries.
- successor trusteeThe person or institution that takes over running a trust when the original trustee dies, resigns, or becomes unable to serve.
- trust fundingThe step of actually moving assets into a trust, retitling accounts and deeds and lining up beneficiary designations in the trust's name. A trust controls only what it owns, so an unfunded trust accomplishes nothing no matter how well it is drafted.