Yes. Under California law, beneficiaries generally have a right to information from a trustee about the trust and its administration. (Prob. Code, §§ 16060, 16061.) A trustee must keep beneficiaries reasonably informed of the trust and its administration. (Prob. Code, § 16060.) On reasonable request, a trustee must provide requested information relating to the administration of the trust that is relevant to the beneficiary’s interest. (Prob. Code, § 16061.) In many cases, a trustee must also provide formal accountings. (Prob. Code, § 16062, subd. (a).) These duties are part of the trustee’s fiduciary obligations, not optional courtesies. (Prob. Code, §§ 16000, 16060, 16061; Moeller v. Superior Court (1997) 16 Cal.4th 1124, 1134.)
For many trustees, beneficiary-information requests become stressful very quickly. California law, however, does not permit a trustee to avoid the duty to inform simply because communication feels uncomfortable. (Prob. Code, §§ 16060, 16061.) Poor communication often becomes the starting point for later petitions to compel performance or redress a breach. (Prob. Code, § 16420.) California trust law, therefore, favors reasonable transparency over silence. (Prob. Code, §§ 16060, 16061, 16420.)
Trustees must keep beneficiaries reasonably informed
California Probate Code section 16060 states that the trustee has a duty to keep the beneficiaries of the trust reasonably informed of the trust and its administration. California Probate Code section 16061 further states that, on reasonable request by a beneficiary, the trustee shall provide requested information relating to the administration of the trust that is relevant to the beneficiary’s interest. These statutes impose an ongoing disclosure duty.
In practical terms, a trustee generally may not take control of trust property and then refuse to answer reasonable beneficiary questions about administration. (Prob. Code, §§ 16060, 16061.) Beneficiaries are ordinarily entitled to information about the trust and its administration to the extent the information is relevant to their interests. (Prob. Code, § 16061.) That does not mean a trustee must instantly satisfy every demand. Section 16061 instead requires disclosure on reasonable request and limits the duty to information relevant to the beneficiary’s interest. (Prob. Code, § 16061.) The legal obligation, however, is to respond reasonably and accurately, not to remain silent. (Prob. Code, §§ 16060, 16061.)
Formal accountings are often required
The duty to inform beneficiaries extends beyond informal updates. In many trusts, the trustee must account at least annually, at the termination of the trust, and upon a change of trustee to each beneficiary to whom income or principal is required or authorized in the trustee’s discretion to be currently distributed, unless a statutory exception applies. (Prob. Code, § 16062, subd. (a).)
That accounting obligation is significant because it gives beneficiaries a formal mechanism to evaluate how the trust is being administered. (Prob. Code, § 16062.) When required, the accounting duty is statutory, not discretionary. (Prob. Code, § 16062, subd. (a).) A trustee who delays or refuses to account when the statute requires one increases the risk of beneficiary challenge and court intervention. (Prob. Code, §§ 16062, 16420.)
Beneficiaries may also be entitled to notice after death
When a revocable trust becomes irrevocable upon the settlor’s death, the trustee generally must serve a statutory notice on each beneficiary and each heir of the deceased settlor, subject to statutory limitations and exceptions. (Prob. Code, § 16061.7, subds. (a)(1), (b), (d).) That notification must be served within 60 days after the event requiring service, or 60 days after the trustee becomes aware of a person entitled to notice if that person was not previously known to the trustee. (Prob. Code, § 16061.7, subd. (f).) The notification must contain specified information, including the identity of the settlor, the date of execution of the trust instrument, the trustee’s contact information, and notice of the right to request a true and complete copy of the terms of the trust. (Prob. Code, § 16061.7, subd. (g).) If the trust became irrevocable because of death, the notice must also include the statutory warning regarding the contest deadline. (Prob. Code, § 16061.7, subd. (h).)
This matters because a trustee’s duty to provide information does not always begin only after a beneficiary asks for it. In many death-triggered administrations, the statute requires the trustee to initiate notice affirmatively. (Prob. Code, § 16061.7.) If the trustee fails to serve the required notification on a beneficiary, the trustee may be responsible for damages, attorney’s fees, and costs caused by the failure unless the trustee made a reasonably diligent effort to comply. (Prob. Code, § 16061.9, subd. (a).)
The trustee’s role is fiduciary, not private
A trustee does not administer trust property as a purely private matter. A trust is a fiduciary relationship in which the trustee holds legal title to the property and is obligated to manage it for the benefit of the beneficiary. (Moeller v. Superior Court, supra, 16 Cal.4th at p. 1134.) A trustee must always act solely in the beneficiaries’ interest. (Ibid; Prob. Code, § 16002, subd. (a).) If the trustee violates a duty owed to the beneficiaries, the trustee is liable for breach of trust. (Ibid; Prob. Code, § 16400.)
That fiduciary framework helps explain why California law gives beneficiaries enforceable information rights. Because the trustee is administering property for the benefit of others, the trustee must provide beneficiaries with information relevant to their interests when the statutes require it. (Prob. Code, §§ 16060, 16061.) The office of trustee carries ongoing, real legal duties of administration. (Moeller v. Superior Court, supra, 16 Cal.4th at pp. 1131-1132, 1134.)
What information can beneficiaries usually request?
The scope of a beneficiary’s request depends on the beneficiary’s interest and the subject matter of the administration. (Prob. Code, § 16061.) The statutory standard is whether the requested information relates to the administration of the trust and is relevant to the beneficiary’s interest. (Prob. Code, § 16061.) That standard is broad enough to encompass many routine requests regarding trust assets, administrative steps, and distribution-related matters. (Prob. Code, § 16061.) It also supports requests for a true and complete copy of the terms of the irrevocable trust in the circumstances described by statute. (Prob. Code, §§ 16060.7, 16061.5.)
Not every beneficiary demand is automatically proper in every form or at every moment. The statute limits the duty to reasonable requests and to information relevant to the beneficiary’s interest. (Prob. Code, § 16061.) Even so, trustees usually create greater risk by ignoring a request altogether than by evaluating it carefully and responding appropriately. (Prob. Code, §§ 16061, 16420.)
What happens when a trustee refuses to provide information?
When a trustee fails to provide information or account as required, beneficiaries may seek judicial relief. Probate Code section 16420 authorizes proceedings to compel the trustee to perform duties, enjoin a breach of trust, compel redress of a breach, appoint a receiver or temporary trustee, remove the trustee, reduce or deny compensation, and obtain other appropriate relief. (Prob. Code, § 16420, subd. (a).)
That is why communication failures can become expensive quickly. What begins as an unanswered request for information can develop into a petition alleging breach of duty and seeking affirmative remedies. (Prob. Code, §§ 16060, 16061, 16420.) Once the dispute reaches court, the trustee is no longer dealing only with a family disagreement; the trustee is dealing with enforceable fiduciary duties. (Prob. Code, §§ 16060, 16061, 16420; Moeller v. Superior Court, supra, 16 Cal.4th at p. 1134.)
Good communication often prevents bigger disputes
Many trust disputes arise from delay, disorganization, or poor communication rather than outright theft. California law addresses that risk by imposing duties of disclosure, notice, and accounting. (Prob. Code, §§ 16060, 16061, 16061.7, 16062.) A trustee who gives timely notice, responds reasonably to requests, and provides the required accountings is generally in a stronger position than a trustee who goes silent. (Prob. Code, §§ 16060, 16061, 16061.7, 16062, 16420.)
If you are administering a trust in Kern County, these issues often surface long before any hearing is scheduled. The statutes governing trustee communication and reporting apply just as much in the ordinary course of administration as in active litigation. (Prob. Code, §§ 16060, 16061, 16061.7, 16062, 16420.) Early structure, timely communication, and accurate disclosures usually reduce the likelihood that administrative problems will become probate petitions. (Prob. Code, §§ 16060, 16061, 16061.7, 16062, 16420.)
What to do next?
If you are handling a trust in Kern County and are unsure what must be disclosed to beneficiaries, review our trust administration guide before responding to demands or making communication decisions.
FAQ
Do beneficiaries have a right to information from a trustee in California?
Yes. A trustee must keep beneficiaries reasonably informed of the trust and its administration and must provide relevant information on reasonable request. (Prob. Code, §§ 16060, 16061.)
Does a trustee have to provide an accounting?
Often yes. In many trusts, the trustee must account at least annually, at termination, and on a change of trustee, unless an exception applies. (Prob. Code, § 16062, subd. (a).)
Does a trustee have to notify beneficiaries after the settlor dies?
Usually yes. When a revocable trust becomes irrevocable because of death, the trustee generally must serve the statutory notification within 60 days. (Prob. Code, § 16061.7, subd. (f).)
What can beneficiaries do if a trustee refuses to provide information?
They may seek court relief, including orders compelling performance, redressing a breach, or removing the trustee. (Prob. Code, § 16420, subd. (a).)
Author note
Jared R. Clemence works at Eagle Heritage Law, serving Kern County in trust administration and related matters.