Wis. Stat. Ann. § 701.11 (West 2002). Honorary
Trusts; cemetery trusts
(1) Except under sub. (2), where the owner of
property makes a testamentary transfer in trust for a
specific noncharitable purpose, and there is no
definite or definitely ascertainable human beneficiary
designated, no enforceable trust is created; but the
transferee has power to apply the property to the
designated purpose, unless the purpose is capricious.
If the transferee refuses or neglects to apply the
property to the designated purpose within a reasonable
time and the transferor has not manifested an
intention to make a beneficial gift to the transferee,
a resulting trust arises in favor of the transferor's
estate and the court is authorized to order the
transferee to retransfer the property.
(2) A trust may be created for maintaining,
keeping in repair and preserving any grave, tomb,
monument, gravestone or any cemetery. Any cemetery
company, association or corporation may receive
property in trust for any of those purposes and apply
the income from the trust to the purpose stated in the
creating instrument.
(3)
(a) A trust described in sub. (2) is invalid to
the extent it was created for a capricious purpose or
the purpose becomes capricious.
(b) If the assets of any trust described in sub.
(2) are valued at less than $5,000 and the court
finds that the cost of operating the trust will
probably defeat the intent of the settlor or if the
trustee, including a cemetery company, association or
corporation, named in the creating instrument is
improperly described, the court may order distribution
of the assets on terms which will as nearly as
possible carry out the settlor's intention.
L. 1969, c. 283, §17. |