Obtaining a copy of trust question

[MrsDowFire]

Jurisdiction

Michigan

Do you need to be individually named in a trust in order to received a copy of a trust?

When I asked for a copy of my maternal grandfathers trust, the attorney sent pages 10 and 11 and this reply:

"Pursuant to MCL 700.7814(2)(a), attached please find a copy of the terms of the trust that describe or affect your interest under the trust. You are not individually named, but you are within the class of beneficiaries described in this portion of the trust, as are your adult children."

My grandfathers estate is estimated to be close to 15 million; I'm wondering if I need to hire an attorney.

 

[zddoodah]

Do you need to be individually named in a trust in order to received a copy of a trust?

I'm going to assume you intended to ask about legal entitlement to a copy, rather than ability to obtain a copy. You didn't say whether you read the statute cited by the lawyer, but it says that a trustee must furnish a copy of "the terms of the trust that describe or affect the trust beneficiary's interest and relevant information about the trust property." to a beneficiary who makes a reasonable request for same.

My grandfathers estate is estimated to be close to 15 million

His estate or his trust? Estimated by whom?

I'm wondering if I need to hire an attorney.

Hire an attorney for what purpose?

 

[MrsDowFire]

My grandfathers attorney told me the "total value of the trust corpus" to be 15 million.

Hiring an attorney for the purpose of looking out for my families interest. My grandfather was predeceased by my mother and I'm being told that he left nothing for his daughters side of the family, however, his son's side has some sort of a trust. I guess I wanted to see the entire trust and his will to see who was named, etc.

Apparently the portion of the trust as I mentioned above has to do with being able to use funds for educational use and nothing else. The trust is to pay educational expenses (room/board/tuition) for future grandchildren for the next 80 years. I am a middle age adult with no interest in returning to school to pursue a degree. So my 30 something grown children can use the education trust, but one of my children already has a Bachelors degree and was told they can't use the fund to obtain a 2nd bachelors degree, only can be used for a higher degree such as a masters. I'm thankful that my grandchildren will get to use this fund for their education but they never even met my grandfather. I guess I feel forgotten and I was hoping that something was left to us but how can I be sure that something wasn't without seeing these things? I would have been the 2nd heir to this estate and to find out I'm not even listed anywhere for anything is very heartbreaking. I was close to my grandfather while growing up so it really is a shock. How can I be sure that my grandfather's son didn't do something shady in past years? He is not the trustee of the trust but I'm not sure about the will since I haven't seen it. Why would my grandfather set up an education trust that I can't even use? I'm way too old for college at this stage in my life so it's confusing to me.

 

[zddoodah]

how can I be sure that something wasn't without seeing these things?

You're free to ask for a complete copy of the trust instrument and, if you don't get it, to take legal action to seek to obtain same.

I assume the other questions you asked are rhetorical.