trust protector监察人制度文献综述.docx
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trustprotector监察人制度文献综述
监察人(protector)的文献综述
监察人的起源
监察人其实已经存在了很长时间(centuries),只不过protector这个名称是最近才被广泛运用起来的。
监察人主要是因为委托人为了保护自己的财产而产生的。
信托如果设立在美国,信托财产可能因为法院的判决而受到债权人追索;而信托如果设立在海外,委托人又不愿意将财产的控制权全部交给一个外国实体。
于是律师设计出了监察人制度。
随着运用的越来越广泛,各地法律也将监察人制度放入了自己的信托制度中,如《库克群岛国际信托法》第4部分、《BVI受托人法案》第86条、《伯利兹信托法》第16条等。
监察人与财产保护
离岸信托运用两项条款实现财产保护,反胁迫条款(antiduressclause)和飞行条款(flightclause)。
反胁迫条款是指离岸受托人可以不遵从美国法院对委托人、美国受托人、离岸受托人做出的任何命令;飞行条款是指离岸受托人能够采取一切必要措施避免信托财产遭受国有化、征收、政治动荡的影响。
设立监察人的必要性
虽然监察人被越来越多的运用在信托架构设计中,但仍有一些学者对设立监察人的必要性问题产生了反思。
因为监察人的功能大多能够通过其他信托参与主体实现,如信托顾问、共同受托人、特别受托人、独立受托人等。
设立监察人一方面会增加成本,另一方面还有可能使得信托各参与主体之间出现权力的重叠与冲突,从而增加信托的治理成本。
所以设立监察人首要考虑的是其必要性。
适宜设立监察人的情形
1.当委托人、受托人或受益人因为某种原因不能或不便于行使某项权力时;
2.当信托期限较长,委托人希望信托管理具有灵活性的;
3.当信托中有特殊财产时(如公司股权,委托人不愿意让受托人管理的);
4.当信托管理的私密性非常重要时(监察人有时能够取代法院对一些事项做出决策);
5.委托人希望某些权力不由受托人行使。
监察人的权力
虽然监察人的运用越来越广泛,但还是有很多地方没有对监察人进行立法,即使立法了也并没有明确,也没有大量的案例去明确,所以监察人的权力并没有明确的法律规定,只是在信托文件中由委托人确定。
根据某些地区对监察人权力的不完全列举以及实践的总结,监察人的权力主要能分成以下三类:
1.委托人、受托人及受益人一般不拥有的权力,或由法院实施的权力。
将这些权力授予监察人是为了增加信托管理上的灵活性,并且更好的增强信托的私密性。
这些权力具体包括:
(1)修改信托条款;
(2)解决受托人与受益人之间的纠纷
(3)更换信托准据法;
(4)任命和免除受托人;
(5)增加或减少受益人的权益;
(6)对信托文件进行解释;
(7)终止信托等。
2.委托人、受托人及受益人能够拥有的权力。
将这些权力授予监察人是因为,由委托人、受托人或受益人享有这些权力可能会在税务或其他方面带来不利的影响。
这些权力具体包括:
(1)减少、替换、增加受益人;
(2)更换信托地点;
(3)执行信托;
(4)排除委托人留存的权力;
3.受托人在管理信托时所享有的权力
将这些权力授予监察人是为了在受托人和监察人之间做出权力平衡,或便于监察人监督受托人对信托的管理活动。
有时,也是因为受托人行使这些权力会违背信义义务。
这些权力具体包括:
(1)建议或监督受托人行使任意分配权;
(2)做出、否决或指导投资决策;
(3)向受托人提供投资或税务咨询;
(4)监督符合受托人的决策;
(5)认可受托人报酬;
对此,也有学者提出不同意见。
他认为监察人的设置不是为了取代受托人或其他信托主体,也不是为了稀释受托人或其他信托主体的权利,所以监察人的权力不应与受托人及其他信托主体拥有的权力比较适合拥有的权利相冲突。
所以监察人较为适宜拥有的权力包括:
(1)修改信托文件;
(2)任免受托人、监察人;(3)修改受益分配规则。
而且,如果监察人的权力过大,会导致受托人成为傀儡而监察人成为事实上的受托人,从而可能招致相关机关对信托实质的重新认定。
监察人的责任
鉴于监察人拥有上述那么多的权利,监察人的责任是论文最为广泛讨论的问题。
受托人是否负有信义义务(fiduciaryduty)?
如果有,是对谁负有?
能否通过信托文件进行排除?
这个是很多论文研究的,并且还结合美国国内的税法进行考虑。
由于时间关系,并没有对这一部分进行较为详细的研究。
监察人条款撰写的建议
1.考虑监察人的必要性;
2.不要依靠州法(因为监察人的规定不完善);
3.明确的列明监察人所拥有的权力;
4.授予监察人的权力应当是任意的(discretionary)而非强制的(mandatory);
5.明确的列明监察人在行使权力时所需要尽到的注意义务;
6.明确说明监察人应当为谁的利益服务;
7.授予监察人信托信息的获取权;
8.明确监察人报酬的确定以及支付方式;
9.明确监察人的任命、除名、替换机制;
10.监察人并不能保护信托(如果不信任受托人应当重新选择,而不是用监察人进行监督)
以下是监察人条款的模板:
SampleLanguageforTrustProtectorClause
TrusteeandProtectorCompensation.
AnyTrusteeorProtectorwhoshallbeanindividualengagedinanyprofessionorbusinessshallbeentitledtochargeandbepaidallusualprofessionalorotherchargesforbusinessdone,timespentandservicesrenderedbysuchTrusteeorProtectororsuchTrustee'sorProtector'sfirmorsuchTrustee'sorProtector'sofficeincarryingoutsuchTrustee'sorProtector'sdutieshereunder,whetherintheordinarycourseofsuchTrustee'sorProtector'sprofessionorbusinessornot,andwhetherornotofanaturerequiringtheemploymentofsuchaprofessionalperson.Anysuchpersonshallbeentitledtoretainanycommissionorbrokeragereceivedbysuchpersonorsuchperson'sfirmorsuchperson'sofficeinconnectionwithanyinvestmentorchangeofinvestment,oranyinsuranceaffectedbytheTrusteeorProtector.
AnyTrusteeorProtectorwhichshallbeacompanyauthorizedtoundertaketrustorprotectorshipbusinessshallbeentitled,inadditiontoreimbursementforitsproperexpenses,toremunerationforitsservicesinaccordancewithsuchcompany'spublishedtermsandconditionsfortrustbusinessinforcefromtimetotimeorasotherwiseagreedinwritingbetweentheparties.
NoTrusteehereofordirectororotherofficerofanycompanywhichisaTrusteehereofshallbeliabletoaccountforanyremunerationorotherprofitreceivedinconsequenceofactingasorbeingappointedtobeadirectororotherofficerorservantofanycompany,eventhoughtheappointmentwasprocuredbyanexercisebysuchpersonorbytheTrusteeofvotingrightsattachedtosecuritiesintheTrustFundorbyanabstentionfromexercisingsuchvotingrights.
Subjecttotheotherprovisionshereof,theTrusteeandProtectorshallbeentitledtoreasonablecompensationcommensuratewiththeservicesactuallyperformed,andtopromptreimbursementforexpensesproperlyincurred.
DesignationofProtector.
ThefirstProtectorshallbe_______________,anindividualwithanaddressat_____________________________________.AProtectormayresignbydeliveringawrittenresignationtotheTrusteeortothepersonthenhavingthepowertoappointasuccessorProtectorasprovidedinParagraph__immediatelybelow.AProtectorshallnotbearanyliabilityfortheexerciseoftheProtector'spowers,suchbeingpersonaldutiesandnotfiduciaryduties.
SuccessorProtector.
AsuccessorProtectorshallbeappointedwhenevertheProtectorforthetimebeing,forwhateverreason,failstoqualifyorceasestoactasProtector.WheneveroccasionarisesforappointingasuccessorProtector,suchsuccessorProtectorshallbeappointedbyasigneddeclarationinwriting(whichmaybealastwillandtestamentorcodicil)ofthepersonmakingsuchappointment.ThesameshallbeeffectivewhenthedocumentoracertifiedcopythereofaffectingthesameisreceivedbytheTrustee,whoshallnotifytheotherTrustees,ifany,thereofandwhoshallcauseamemorandumofsuchappointmenttobeendorsedonthisSettlement.AsuccessorProtector(aswellasoneormoreofsuchsuccessor'sreplacements)maybeappointedinadvancebyasigneddeclarationinwriting(whichmaybealastwillandtestamentorcodicil)ofthepersonmakingsuchappointment.Tobeeffective,thesigneddeclarationinwriting:
(i)mustspecifythedateoreventuponwhicharespectiveProtectortheninofficeshallceasetoactasProtectoriftheProtectoristoceasetoactasProtectoruponaspecificdateorevent,withtherespectivesuccessortoconcurrentlytakeoffice;and(ii)mustbedeliveredtotheTrustee(asanoriginaldocumentorasacertifiedcopythereof),withtherecipientTrusteethennotifyingtheotherTrustees,ifany,thereofandcausingamemorandumthereoftobeendorsedonthisSettlement.
ThepowertoappointasuccessorProtectorshallbevestedinsuchpersonsasarespecifiedinSchedule___attachedheretoandincorporatedhereinbythisreference,intheorderorpriorityandinthemannerandsubjecttosuchconditions(ifany)asarethereinspecified.
Vacancy.
If,atanytime,thereisforaperiodofsix(6)monthsnoProtectorwhatsoever,theTrusteeshall,fromtheexpirationofthatperiodandunlessanduntilaProtectorisappointedunderParagraph___immediatelyabove,havethepoweritselftoappointapersonotherthantheTrusteetobetheProtector.AnyappointmentsomadeunderthispowershallhaveeffectinallrespectsasifithadbeendulymadeunderParagraph___immediatelyabove.
VetoPowerofProtector.
Notwithstandinganythingtothecontraryhereincontained,andinparticularanythingconferringanabsoluteoruncontrolleddiscretionontheTrusteehereof,allandeverypoweranddiscretionvestedintheTrusteebysuchprovisionsofthisSettlementasarespecifiedinSchedule____attachedheretoandincorporatedhereinbythisreferenceshallonlybeexercisablebytheTrusteesubjectalwaystothepoweroftheProtectortovetoanyexercisebytheTrusteeofsuchpowerordiscretion,andaccordinglytheTrusteeshallberequiredtoprovidetheProtectorwithreasonablepriornoticebeforeanysuchpowersordiscretionsmaybeexercisedsoastoallowtheProtectorreasonableadvanceopportunitywithinwhichtovetoorrefrainfromvetoingtheexerciseofthepowerordiscretion.TheProtector'sexerciseornon-exerciseofthisvetopowershallbecommunicatedinwritingtotheTrusteeandfailuretosocommunicateinatimelyfashionprovidednoticeisactuallyreceivedbytheProtectorshallbetreatedbytheTrusteeasavetobytheProtectoroftheproposedexerciseofthepowerordiscretion;however,iftheTrusteereasonablybelievesthatfailurebytheProtectortosocommunicateisduetotheProtectorbeingrestrainedorenjoinedfromdoingso,thensuchfailuretocommunicateshallbetreatedbytheTrusteeanddeemedforallpurposeshereofasacquiescencebytheProtectortotheproposedexerciseofthepowerordiscretion.Itisfurtherprovidedthat,notwithstandinganythingtothecontraryotherwisehereinexpressedorimplied,nodiscretionorpowerconferredupontheProtector,oruponanyotherpersonbythisSettlement,orbyanyruleoflaw,orarisinginconsequenceoftheexerciseofanypowerconferredupontheProtector,oranyotherpersonbythisSettlement,shallbeexercised,andnothingcontainedhereinshalloperate,soastocausetheProtectortobesuccessfulinorderinganyactionorcausinganyresultwhichisnotoftheProtector'sownfreewill,orwhichisotherwisetheresultoftheProtectoractingundertheduressorinfluenceofanoutsideforce.
WaiverofVetoPower.
TheProtectormay,fromtimetotime,bywrittennoticetotheTrustee(amemorandumofwhichshallbeendorsedonorpermanentlyattachedtothisSettlement)declare(eithergenerallyorinrelationtoanyparticularactoracts,andeitherpermanentlyorforsuchperiodasshallbespecifiedinthenotice)thatanyactoractshereindeclaredtobesubjecttothevetopoweroftheProtectorshallnotbesosubjectandthesaidnoticeshallbeeffectiveaccordingtoitsterms.
TrustConstructionIfNoProtector.
Ifandwhenever,andsolongasthereisnoProtectorcapableofacting,amemorandumtothateffectshallbeendorsedonorpermanentlyattachedtothisSettlementandalltheprovisionsofthisSettlementshallbereadandhaveeffectasthoughreferencestotheProtectororthevetopoweroftheProtectorwereomitted.
CommitteeofTrustProtectors.
TheProtectormay,intheProtector'ssolediscretion,fromtimetotimeoratanytime,determinethatthepositionofProtectorsha