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Law of Wills, 2016A

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2. Arthur placed $100,000 worth <strong>of</strong> savings bonds in a safe deposit box. A week later, he told his<br />

attorney, “I put some money in my safe deposit box at City Credit Union. I would like for you to<br />

manage the money for my grandson, Michael, after I die.” Did Arthur intend to create a trust?<br />

3. Liza executed an instrument stating, “I leave $75,000 to my friend, Lillie, in trust for my brother<br />

Wayne, as long as Wayne pays me the $10,000 that he owes me.” Did Liza intend to create a trust?<br />

4. Joshua executed an instrument stating, “I leave my business to National Bank, in trust for my<br />

daughter, Betty, as long as Berry pays Derrick the $4,000 that she borrowed from him last year.” Did<br />

Joshua intend to create a trust?<br />

5. Inter vivos trusts are not considered testamentary even though the settlor may reserve a beneficial<br />

life interest, the power to revoke or modify, and the power to control the trustee's administration <strong>of</strong><br />

the trust.<br />

16.6.1.2. Property<br />

A trust is not valid unless it contains property. One exception to that rule is the pour-over<br />

will scenario. Consider the following explanation. The settlor establishes an inter vivos trust, and<br />

does not fund it. The settlor executes a will at the same time the trust is created or shortly thereafter.<br />

In the will, the testator who is also the settlor <strong>of</strong> the inter vivos trust, indicates that a certain portion<br />

or all <strong>of</strong> his or her estate is to pour over from the will into the trust. In essence, the trust is<br />

incorporated by reference into the will.<br />

In re Estate <strong>of</strong> McDowell, 781 N.W.2d 568 (Iowa Ct.App. 2010)<br />

DOYLE, J.<br />

Evelyn Wanders, trustee <strong>of</strong> the Florence M. McDowell Trust (Trust), appeals from an order <strong>of</strong> the<br />

district court granting the co-executors <strong>of</strong> the Estate <strong>of</strong> Florence M. McDowell authority to sell an<br />

eighty-acre farm owned by decedent at the time <strong>of</strong> her death. We conclude the farm should be<br />

distributed to the Trust under the pour-over provision <strong>of</strong> decedent’s will, and therefore reverse the<br />

ruling <strong>of</strong> the district court.<br />

I. Background Facts and Proceedings.<br />

The decedent, Florence M. McDowell, died a resident <strong>of</strong> Poweshiek County, Iowa, on June 1, 2006.<br />

She had been a resident <strong>of</strong> Cottage Grove, Oregon, prior to returning to Iowa in 2000. She was<br />

survived by three daughters: Evelyn Wanders <strong>of</strong> Montezuma, Iowa; Mary Lee Seals <strong>of</strong> Cottage<br />

Grove, Oregon; and Martha Ann Rourke <strong>of</strong> Vancouver, Washington. At the time <strong>of</strong> her death,<br />

Florence owned an eighty-acre Poweshiek County farm. The farm was not Florence’s homestead.<br />

A “Revocable Living Trust Agreement” was executed by Florence on May 22, 1990, establishing the<br />

Trust. Article II <strong>of</strong> the Trust agreement states, in part, “I have transferred and delivered to Trustee<br />

the property described on Schedule ‘A.’ ” Schedule “A,” attached to the Trust agreement, lists<br />

717

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