Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 11.98.072 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026

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(1) A trustee must keep all qualified beneficiaries of a trust reasonably informed about the administration of the trust and of the material facts necessary for them to protect their interests. Unless unreasonable under the circumstances, a trustee must promptly respond to any beneficiary's request for information related to the administration of the trust. The trustee is deemed to have satisfied the request of a qualified beneficiary who requests information concerning the terms of the trust reasonably necessary to enable such beneficiary to enforce his or her rights under the trust if the trustee provides a copy of the entire trust instrument. If a qualified beneficiary must compel production of information from the trustee by order of the court, then the court may order costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees, to be awarded to such beneficiary pursuant to RCW 11.96A.150.

(2)(a) Except to the extent waived or modified as provided in subsection (5) of this section, within sixty days after the date of acceptance of the position of trustee, the trustee must give notice to the qualified beneficiaries of the trust of:

(i) The existence of the trust;

(ii) The identity of the trustor or trustors;

(iii) The trustee's name, address, and telephone number; and

(iv) The right to request such information as is reasonably necessary to enable the notified person to enforce his or her rights under the trust.

(b) The notice required under this subsection (2) applies only to irrevocable trusts created after December 31, 2011, and revocable trusts that become irrevocable after December 31, 2011.

(3) Despite any other provision of this section, and except to the extent waived or modified as provided in subsection (5) of this section, the trustee may not be required to provide any information described in subsection (1) or (2) of this section to any beneficiary of a trust other than the trustor's spouse or domestic partner if:

(a) Such spouse or domestic partner has capacity;

(b) Such spouse or domestic partner is the only permissible distributee of the trust; and

(c) All of the other qualified beneficiaries of the trust are the descendants of the trustor and the trustor's spouse or domestic partner.

(4) While the trustor of a revocable trust is living, no beneficiary other than the trustor is entitled to receive any information under this section.

(5) The trustor may waive or modify the notification requirements of subsections (2) and (3) of this section in the trust document or in a separate writing, made at any time, that is delivered to the trustee.

[ 2013 c 272 s 16.]

Notes:

Application—2013 c 272: See note following RCW 11.98.002.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 5 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2018–2021 · leading case: In Re Joanne K Blankenship Survivor's Trust (Wash. Ct. App. 2021).

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In Re Joanne K Blankenship Survivor's Trust (Wash. Ct. App. 2021). · cites it 10× “81466-4-I/5 RCW 11.98.072. Lynn’s attorney denied any such breach.”

In Re The Est. Of: John J. Belarde Steve Belarde, Res. & John F. Belarde, App. (Wash. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 2× “The trial court dismissed the petition with prejudice after determining Steve did not have a statutory right to the information under RCW 11.98.072(4) 3 because at the time, John Sr.”

Est. of Mary Teresa Maiuri (Wash. Ct. App. 2018). “The court did not err in ordering that the estate be reclosed Following trial, the court concluded that Mary’s estate should be reclosed. In an order entered in August 2016, it ordered the estate closed, canceled a lis pendens that had been filed, discharged Michael as personal…”

Robert Tuttle Jr, V Est. Of Anita D Tuttle (Wash. Ct. App. 2020). “070 (count I); (2) Hicklin failed to keep the qualified beneficiaries of the Trust reasonably informed, in violation of RCW 11.98.072 (count II); (3) Hicklin breached her fiduciary duties as trustee of the Trust, in violation of RCW 11.”

Greider Fam. Trust, Sebastian Eugene Greider, Et Ano, Apps v. Cheryl Greider Bradkin, Et Ano Resps (Wash. Ct. App. 2021). “And while Brett’s heirs’ status as qualified beneficiaries gave them a right to receive limited information about the trust under RCW 11.98.072(1), they do not allege a violation of their rights under this provision.”

— Wash. Rev. Code § 11.98.072(1) — 3 cases

In Re Joanne K Blankenship Survivor's Trust (Wash. Ct. App. 2021). “81466-4-I/5 RCW 11.98.072. Lynn’s attorney denied any such breach.”

— Wash. Rev. Code § 11.98.072(4) — 2 cases

In Re Joanne K Blankenship Survivor's Trust (Wash. Ct. App. 2021). “81466-4-I/5 RCW 11.98.072. Lynn’s attorney denied any such breach.”

In Re The Est. Of: John J. Belarde Steve Belarde, Res. & John F. Belarde, App. (Wash. Ct. App. 2020). “The trial court dismissed the petition with prejudice after determining Steve did not have a statutory right to the information under RCW 11.98.072(4) 3 because at the time, John Sr.”

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