Certification of Trust
(PA)

This template is a Certification of Trust for a stand-alone revocable or irrevocable trust in Pennsylvania. The Certification of Trust is authorized under 20 Pa. Cons. Stat., § 7790.3, and permits trustees to conduct trust business without presenting the entire trust agreement. This template includes practical guidance, drafting notes, alternate clauses, and optional clauses. The Certification of Trust is a document intended to provide basic information about the trust while preserving privacy concerning its dispositive terms. The Certification of Trust should include full recitations of trust provisions designating the trustee and the powers of the trustee. The Certification of Trust should provide third parties, such as banks and other financial institutions, with the following information: that the trust exists and the date it was executed, the identity of the Settlor, the identity and address of the currently acting Trustee(s), the powers of the Trustee(s), whether the Trust is revocable or irrevocable, the authority of co-trustees to sign and whether all are required to sign, and the manner of taking title to trust property. Additionally, the document should provide information regarding the individuals nominated as successor Trustees. Other names for this document include Certificate of Trust, Declaration of Trust, Trust Certification, and Memorandum of Trust. For an in-depth discussion of trusts, see Characteristics and Uses of Trusts (PA) and Requirements and Restrictions on Trust Purposes and Administration (PA).