Skip to main content
Find a Lawyer

Washington Revised Code Title 11. Probate and Trust Law § 11.96A.127. Charitable dispositions by will or trust

Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this section, with respect to any charitable disposition made in a will or trust, if a particular charitable purpose becomes unlawful, impracticable, impossible to achieve, or wasteful:

(a) The disposition does not fail, in whole or in part;

(b) The subject property does not revert to the alternative, residuary, or intestate heirs of the estate or, in the case of a trust, the trustor or the trustor's successors in interest; and

(c) The court may modify or terminate the trust by directing that the property be applied or distributed, in whole or in part, in a manner consistent with the testator's or trustor's charitable purposes.

(2) A provision in the terms of a will or charitable trust that would result in distribution of the property to a noncharitable beneficiary prevails over the power of the court under subsection (1) of this section to modify or terminate the will provision or trust only if, when the provision takes effect:

(a) The property is to revert to the trustor and the trustor is still living; or

(b) Fewer than twenty-one years have elapsed since the following:

(i) In the case of a charitable disposition in trust, the date of the trust's creation or the date the trust became irrevocable; or

(ii) In the case of a charitable disposition in a will, the death of the testator, in the case of a charitable disposition in a will.

(3) For purposes of this title, a charitable purpose is one for the relief of poverty, the advancement of education or religion, the promotion of health, governmental or municipal purposes, or other purposes the achievement of which is beneficial to a community.

Previous Part of Code Next Part of Code
Back to Chapter List

Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Washington Revised Code Title 11. Probate and Trust Law § 11.96A.127. Charitable dispositions by will or trust - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/wa/title-11-probate-and-trust-law/wa-rev-code-11-96a-127/

FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.

Was this helpful?

Welcome to FindLaw's Cases & Codes

A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw’s Learn About the Law.

Go to Learn About the Law

Latest Blog Posts

For Legal Professionals

Learn About The Law

Get help with your legal needs

FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.

Go to Learn About the Law

Need to Find an Attorney?

Search our directory by legal issue

Enter information in one or both fields (Required)

Copied to clipboard