| name | certificate-of-trust |
| title | Certificate of Trust |
| description | Drafts a Certificate of Trust (Abstract/Memorandum of Trust) that verifies trustee authority for third-party reliance without disclosing full trust terms. Use when preparing trust certificates for real estate closings, bank account openings, business transactions, or any context requiring trustee authority verification with UTC-compliant, privacy-preserving disclosure. |
| author | CaseMark |
| author_url | https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/certificate-of-trust |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| version | 0.1.0 |
| execution_mode | open |
| jurisdiction | us |
| practice | trusts-and-estates |
| language | en |
| tags | ["drafting","summary","transactional"] |
Certificate of Trust
Drafts a privacy-preserving trust summary establishing trustee authority for third-party reliance without disclosing beneficiary details or distribution provisions.
Prerequisites
Collect before drafting:
- Trust instrument — executed agreement with all amendments/restatements
- Trustee identification — full legal names, capacities, current acting status
- Transaction context — purpose (real estate closing, bank account, business dealing)
- Governing jurisdiction — state law; recording jurisdiction if applicable
- Recipient requirements — demands from title company, lender, or institution
Quick Start
Draft a seven-section certificate following this structure. Tailor the powers recital to the specific transaction (e.g., real property sale requires explicit real property authority).
Certificate Sections
1. Header
| Element | Requirement |
|---|
| Title | "CERTIFICATE OF TRUST" or "ABSTRACT OF TRUST" per jurisdiction |
| Trust name | Exact legal name from instrument |
| Governing law | State (and county if relevant) |
| Certificate date | Execution date of this certificate (not trust creation) |
| Reference number | If recorded or administratively tracked |
2. Trust Identification
- Full trust name and exact execution date
- Settlor(s)/grantor(s)/trustor(s) — full legal names
- Revocable or irrevocable status — if changed (death/incapacity), state both statuses with change date
- All amendments listed by date; note effect on revocability
3. Trustee Authority
Identify all current trustees by full legal name and capacity:
