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HomeFamily CodeDiv. 4Pt. 2Ch. 1§ 761 Community Property Trust Rules

§ 761 Community Property Trust Rules

Family Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 761 Community Property Trust Rules

Key Takeaways

  • •If married people put their shared stuff (like money or a house) into a trust, it stays shared as long as they can take it back anytime during the marriage and both must agree to change who gets what.
  • •Either spouse can take back the shared stuff from the trust by themselves unless the trust says otherwise.
  • •The person in charge of the trust (trustee) can handle the shared stuff without asking either spouse, unless the trust says they need permission.
  • •These rules apply to trusts made before or after July 1, 1987, but don’t change how other shared stuff is treated if it wasn’t put in this kind of trust.

Example

A married couple puts their savings into a trust and says they can take the money back anytime. Later, the husband wants to take out $10,000 to buy a car.

The husband can take the money out by himself because the trust lets either spouse take back the shared money. The $10,000 is still shared money unless they agree to change it to just his money.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 761 Community Property Trust Rules

(a) Unless the trust instrument or the instrument of transfer expressly provides otherwise, community property that is transferred in trust remains community property during the marriage, regardless of the identity of the trustee, if the trust, originally or as amended before or after the transfer, provides that the trust is revocable as to that property during the marriage and the power, if any, to modify the trust as to the rights and interests in that property during the marriage may be exercised only with the joinder or consent of both spouses. (b) Unless the trust instrument expressly provides otherwise, a power to revoke as to community property may be exercised by either spouse acting alone. Community property, including any income or appreciation, that is distributed or withdrawn from a trust by revocation, power of withdrawal, or otherwise, remains community property unless there is a valid transmutation of the property at the time of distribution or withdrawal. (c) The trustee may convey and otherwise manage and control the trust property in accordance with the provisions of the trust without the joinder or consent of either spouse unless the trust expressly requires the joinder or consent of one or both spouses. (d) This section applies to a transfer made before, on, or after July 1, 1987. (e) Nothing in this section affects the community character of property that is transferred before, on, or after July 1, 1987, in any manner or to a trust other than described in this section. (Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 82, Sec. 17. (SB 1306) Effective January 1, 2015.)

Last verified: January 21, 2026

Key Terms

community propertyrevocable trustjoinder or consenttransmutation

Related Statutes

  • § 4301 Spousal Support Obligation
  • § 760 Marital Property Ownership Rules
  • § 853 Will Statements And Transmutations
  • § 1500 Marital Property Agreements
  • § 1501 Minor Marital Property Agreements

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Family Code. Section 761.
View Official Source