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Delaware Code Title 12. Decedents' Estates and Fiduciary Relations § 3561. Reasonable compensation when trust instrument does not determine

Current as of January 01, 2026 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(a) As used in this section, the term “qualified trustee” means any person authorized by the law of this State or of the United States to act as a trustee whose activities are subject to supervision by the Bank Commissioner of the State, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Comptroller of the Currency of the United States.

(b) Unless a trust instrument specifically provides that the trustee shall serve without compensation, when a trust instrument does not fix the compensation of the trustee, reasonable compensation shall be allowed.  Subject to the provisions of § 3562 of this title, such compensation shall be determined as follows:

(1) For qualified trustees:

a. Each qualified trustee shall file with the Register in Chancery for every county in this State, a copy of a schedule or formula by which its allowance as compensation shall be computed.  Such schedule or formula may be based upon or reflect the following factors:

1. The time spent or likely to be spent in administering a trust of the type contemplated;

2. The risks and responsibilities involved;

3. The novelty and difficulty of the tasks required of the trustee;

4. The skill and experience of the trustee;

5. Comparable charges for similar services;

6. The character of the trust assets;

7. The time constraints imposed upon the trustee in administering the trust;

b. Each qualified trustee shall provide a copy of its current trustee fee schedule or formula as filed upon any filing pursuant to paragraph (b)(1)a. of this section to the settlor of any revocable trust and to each current income beneficiary of every other trust from which it will seek to be allowed compensation to be calculated in accordance with such schedule or formula;

c. Each qualified trustee shall be allowed as reasonable compensation for services with respect to each trust from which it is entitled to compensation under this section, an amount determined by application of the schedule or formula so filed to trusts of that size and type.

(2) For other trustees, the Court of Chancery shall from time to time promulgate a rule fixing the method by which trustees other than qualified trustees may be allowed compensation for their services.

(3) There shall be no presumption that a fee schedule filed under paragraph (b)(1) of this section is any more or less reasonable than the schedule promulgated under paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Delaware Code Title 12. Decedents' Estates and Fiduciary Relations § 3561. Reasonable compensation when trust instrument does not determine - last updated January 01, 2026 | https://codes.findlaw.com/de/title-12-decedents-estates-and-fiduciary-relations/de-code-sect-12-3561/

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