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Florida Statute 736.0103 - Full Text and Legal Analysis
Florida Statute 736.0103 | Lawyer Caselaw & Research
Link to State of Florida Official Statute
F.S. 736.0103 Case Law from Google Scholar Google Search for Amendments to 736.0103

The 2025 Florida Statutes

Title XLII
ESTATES AND TRUSTS
Chapter 736
FLORIDA TRUST CODE
View Entire Chapter
736.0103 Definitions.Unless the context otherwise requires, in this code:
(1) “Action,” with respect to an act of a trustee, includes a failure to act.
(2) “Affiliate” means any person or entity that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries owns or controls, is owned or controlled by, or is under common control or ownership with, the fiduciary. An affiliate may include, but is not limited to, an investment adviser, administrator, broker, transfer agent, placement agent, servicing agent, registrar, custodian, underwriter, sponsor, distributor, or manager.
(3) “Ascertainable standard” means a standard relating to an individual’s health, education, support, or maintenance within the meaning of s. 2041(b)(1)(A) or s. 2514(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(4) “Beneficiary” means a person who has a present or future beneficial interest in a trust, vested or contingent, or who holds a power of appointment over trust property in a capacity other than that of trustee. An interest as a permissible appointee of a power of appointment, held by a person in a capacity other than that of trustee, is not a beneficial interest for purposes of this subsection. Upon an irrevocable exercise of a power of appointment, the interest of a person in whose favor the appointment is made shall be considered a present or future beneficial interest in a trust in the same manner as if the interest had been included in the trust instrument.
(5) “Charitable trust” means a trust, or portion of a trust, created for a charitable purpose as described in s. 736.0405(1).
(6) “Directed trust” means a trust for which the terms of the trust grant a power of direction.
(7) “Directed trustee” means a trustee that is subject to a trust director’s power of direction.
(8) “Distributee” means a beneficiary who is currently entitled to receive a distribution.
(9) “Environmental law” means a federal, state, or local law, rule, regulation, or ordinance that relates to protection of the environment or human health.
(10) “General power of appointment” means a power of appointment exercisable in favor of the holder of the power, the power holder’s creditors, the power holder’s estate, or the creditors of the power holder’s estate.
(11) “Guardian of the person” means a person appointed by the court to make decisions regarding the support, care, education, health, and welfare of a minor or an incapacitated adult. The term does not include a guardian ad litem.
(12) “Guardian of the property” means a person appointed by the court to administer the estate of a minor or incapacitated adult.
(13) “Interests of the beneficiaries” means the beneficial interests intended by the settlor as provided in the terms of a trust.
(14) “Jurisdiction” with respect to a geographic area, includes a state or country.
(15) “Permissible distributee” means a beneficiary who is currently eligible to receive a distribution.
(16) “Power of direction” means a power over a trust granted to a person by the terms of the trust to the extent the power is exercisable while the person is not serving as a trustee. The term includes a power over the investment, management, or distribution of trust property; a power to amend a trust instrument or terminate a trust; or a power over other matters of trust administration. The term excludes the powers excluded from part XIV of this chapter under s. 736.1405(2).
(17) “Power of withdrawal” means a presently exercisable general power of appointment other than a power:
(a) Exercisable by a trustee and limited by an ascertainable standard; or
(b) Exercisable by another person only upon consent of the trustee or a person holding an adverse interest.
(18) “Property” means anything that may be the subject of ownership, real or personal, legal or equitable, or any interest therein.
(19) “Qualified beneficiary” means a living beneficiary who, on the date the beneficiary’s qualification is determined:
(a) Is a distributee or permissible distributee of trust income or principal;
(b) Would be a distributee or permissible distributee of trust income or principal if the interests of the distributees described in paragraph (a) terminated on that date without causing the trust to terminate; or
(c) Would be a distributee or permissible distributee of trust income or principal if the trust terminated in accordance with its terms on that date.
(20) “Revocable,” as applied to a trust, means revocable by the settlor without the consent of the trustee or a person holding an adverse interest.
(21) “Settlor” means a person, including a testator, who creates or contributes property to a trust. If more than one person creates or contributes property to a trust, each person is a settlor of the portion of the trust property attributable to that person’s contribution except to the extent another person has the power to revoke or withdraw that portion.
(22) “Spendthrift provision” means a term of a trust that restrains both voluntary and involuntary transfer of a beneficiary’s interest.
(23) “State” means any state of the United States and includes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession subject to the legislative authority of the United States.
(24) “Terms of a trust” means:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b), the manifestation of the settlor’s intent regarding a trust’s provisions as:
1. Expressed in the trust instrument; or
2. Established by other evidence that would be admissible in a judicial proceeding; or
(b) The trust’s provisions as established, determined, or amended by:
1. A trustee or trust director in accordance with applicable law;
2. Court order; or
3. A nonjudicial settlement agreement under s. 736.0111, relating to nonjudicial settlement agreements.
(25) “Trust director” means a person who is granted a power of direction by the terms of a trust to the extent the power is exercisable while the person is not serving as a trustee. The person is a trust director whether or not the terms of the trust refer to the person as a trust director and whether or not the person is a beneficiary or settlor of the trust.
(26) “Trust instrument” means an instrument executed by a settlor that contains terms of the trust, including any amendments to the trust.
(27) “Trustee” means the original trustee and includes any additional trustee, any successor trustee, and any cotrustee.
History.s. 1, ch. 2006-217; s. 1, ch. 2009-117; s. 9, ch. 2013-172; s. 1, ch. 2018-35; s. 3, ch. 2021-183.

F.S. 736.0103 on Google Scholar

F.S. 736.0103 on CourtListener

Amendments to 736.0103


Annotations, Discussions, Cases:

Cases Citing Statute 736.0103

Total Results: 16  |  Sort by: Relevance  |  Newest First

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Harrell v. Badger, 171 So. 3d 764 (Fla. 5th DCA 2015).

Cited 1 times | Published | Florida 5th District Court of Appeal | 2015 Fla. App. LEXIS 11183

are qualified beneficiaries, as defined in section 736.0103(16), Florida Statutes (2008), of the Trust
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In Re Amendments to the Fl. Prob. Rules, 964 So. 2d 140 (Fla. 2007).

Cited 1 times | Published | Supreme Court of Florida | 32 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 505, 2007 Fla. LEXIS 1234, 2007 WL 2002458

...Next, also in response to the repeal of chapter 737 and the creation of new chapter 736, subdivision (a)(3) of rule 5.240 (Notice of Administration) is amended to replace the term "beneficiary," formerly defined in section 737.303(4)(b), Florida Statutes (2006) with the term "qualified beneficiary," as defined in section 736.0103(14), Florida Statutes (2006)....
...h replaces deleted chapter 737, and to add reference to chapter 739, Florida Statutes, which was added effective July 1, 2005. Committee notes revised. Statutory References § 1.01, Fla. Stat. Definitions. § 731.201, Fla. Stat. General definitions. § 736.0103, Fla....
...ction 733.2123, Florida Statutes: (1) the decedent's surviving spouse; (2) all beneficiaries; (3) a trustee of any trust described in section 733.707(3), Florida Statutes and each qualified beneficiary of the trust as defined in section 737.303(4)(b)736.0103(14), if each trustee is also a personal representative of the estate; and (4) persons who may be entitled to exempt property in the manner provided for service of formal notice....
...New subdivision (b)(5) added regarding notice to file election to take elective share. Committee notes revised. 2007 Revision: Subdivision (a)(3) amended to replace reference to "beneficiary" *147 with "qualified beneficiary" and to change reference from former section 737.303(4)(b) to new section 736.0103(14), which defines that term....
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Rebecca Rachins & Richard Z. Minassian v. Zaven Minassian Trust, Etc., 251 So. 3d 919 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2018).

Cited 1 times | Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida

that they are qualified beneficiaries under section 736.0103(16), Florida Statutes, and therefore have
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In Re Ciano, 433 B.R. 431 (Bankr. N.D. Fla. 2010).

Cited 1 times | Published | United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Florida | 22 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 455, 2010 Bankr. LEXIS 2377, 2010 WL 3069570

...ift provision was not valid under Florida law as to all or part of the trust. The Florida Trust Code ("Trust Code"), Chapter 736, Florida Statutes (2009), which became effective on July 1, 2007, provides a definition for a "spendthrift provision" in section 736.0103(17) and a standard for the validity of a "spendthrift provision" in a trust in section 736.0502(1)....
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In Re Rogove, 443 B.R. 182 (Bankr. S.D. Fla. 2010).

Published | United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida. | 22 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 598, 2010 Bankr. LEXIS 3298

...If more than one person creates or contributes property to a trust, each person is a settlor of the portion of the trust property attributable to that person's contribution except to the extent another person has the power to revoke or withdraw that portion. FLA. STAT. § 736.0103(16)....
...In addition, Cynthia Dallow had the power to refuse any addition to the trust by withholding her consent as trustee under Article I, Section 2 of the trust agreement. This power means that no other person could be considered settlor of the trust. See FLA. STAT. § 736.0103(16)....
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In re Amendments to the Florida Prob. Rules, 131 So. 3d 717 (Fla. 2013).

Published | Supreme Court of Florida | 38 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 868, 2013 WL 6223207, 2013 Fla. LEXIS 2608

changes the reference to subsection (14) of section 736.0103 to subsection (16). See ch.2013-172, §§ 9
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Elizabeth Ann Duff-esformes, Etc. v. Barry E. Mukamal, Etc. (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2021).

Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida

Duff-Esformes has standing to object to the 2 Section 736.0103(19)(a) of the Florida Trust Code defines “qualified
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In Re Amend. to Florida Prob. Rules, 986 So. 2d 576 (Fla. 2008).

Published | Supreme Court of Florida | 33 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 542, 2008 Fla. LEXIS 1242, 2008 WL 2686339

...93.12, Florida Statutes. Committee notes revised. Statutory References § 1.01, Fla. Stat. Definitions. § 393.063, Fla. Stat. Definitions. § 393.12, Fla. Stat. Capacity; appointment of guardian advocate. § 731.201, Fla. Stat. General definitions. § 736.0103, Fla....
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Hadassah v. Melcer, 268 So. 3d 759 (Fla. 4th DCA 2019).

Published | Florida 4th District Court of Appeal

currently entitled to receive a distribution. § 736.0103 (6), Fla. Stat. (2017). We find the charities
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Hadassah v. Melcer, 268 So. 3d 759 (Fla. 4th DCA 2019).

Published | Florida 4th District Court of Appeal

currently entitled to receive a distribution. § 736.0103 (6), Fla. Stat. (2017). We find the charities
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Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Org. of Am., Inc. v. Stephen G. Melcer, Tr. (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2019).

Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida

currently entitled to receive a distribution. § 736.0103 (6), Fla. Stat. (2017). We find the charities
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In Re: Amendments to the Florida Prob. Rules - 2019 Fast-Track Report (Fla. 2020).

Published | Supreme Court of Florida

§ 732.526, Fla. Stat. Probate. § 736.0103, Fla. Stat. Definitions. § 738.102, Fla
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In Re: Trust of Adean E. Wines Vs (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2023).

Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida

Procedure.” Here, Appellee 2 See § 736.0103(4), Fla. Stat. (2022) (defining beneficiary as
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In Re: Amendments to Florida Prob. Rules - 2024 Legislation (Fla. 2025).

Published | Supreme Court of Florida

qualified beneficiary of the trust as defined in section 736.0103(16), Florida Statutes, if each trustee is
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In Re Amendments to the Florida Prob. Rules, 181 So. 3d 480 (Fla. 2015).

Published | Supreme Court of Florida | 40 Fla. L. Weekly Supp. 703, 2015 Fla. LEXIS 2810, 2015 WL 9264021

...eviously served under section 733.2123, Florida Statutes: (1) – (2) [No Change] (3) a trustee of any trust described in section 733.707(3), Florida Statutes, and each qualified beneficiary of the trust as defined in section 736.0103(16), Florida Statutes, if each trustee is also a personal representative of the estate; and (4) [No Change] in the manner provided for service of formal notice....
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Violetta Grassfield, Individually & as Successor Tr. v. Paul Grassfield (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 2023).

Published | District Court of Appeal of Florida

legislature adopted section 736.0602 in 2007. Cf. § 736.0103 (defining other terms used in the Florida Trust

This Florida statute resource is curated by Graham W. Syfert, Esq., a Jacksonville, Florida personal injury and workers' compensation attorney. For legal consultation, call 904-383-7448.