Decline to Serve as Trustee or Personal Representative

_________________________, who is legally entitled to serve as the trustee or personal representative of the estate of _________________________, by reason of ______________________, hereby formally declines to act in such capacity.

Dated: ______________________

______________________________________________

Proposed Trustee or Personal Representative

How to Use This Sample Format

This guide is provided to help you understand and correctly use this form. Serving as a trustee or personal representative can be a legally risky and burdensome responsibility, especially in today’s increasingly litigious environment. Therefore, unless you have a strong personal or moral reason to take on this role, it is entirely reasonable to decline.

This form can be adapted for other roles or offices you wish to decline.

Make several copies of the signed document. Distribute one to each interested party and retain a copy for your own records.

Please note: Even if you formally decline the role, you may still incur some legal responsibility if it is later shown that you were aware the successor might act in a way that causes harm to the beneficiaries or other interested parties.