Ind. Code § 30-4-2-1 – Written evidence of terms; definite terms; validity of inter vivos trust; existence of trust beneficiaries; creation of trust by exercise of power of appointment

(a) A trust in either real or personal property is enforceable only if there is written evidence of the terms of the trust bearing the signature of the settlor or the settlor's authorized agent.
(b) Except as required in the applicable probate law for the execution of wills, no formal language is required to create a trust, but the terms of the trust must be sufficiently definite so that the trust property, the identity of the trustee, the nature of the trustee's interest, the identity of the beneficiary, the nature of the beneficiary's interest and the purpose of the trust may be ascertained with reasonable certainty.
(c) It is not necessary to the validity of a trust that the trust be funded with or have a corpus that includes property other than the present or future, vested or contingent right of the trustee to receive proceeds or property, including:
1. (1) as beneficiary of an estate under IC 29-1-6-1 ;
2. (2) life insurance benefits under section 5 of this chapter;
3. (3) retirement plan benefits; or
4. (4) the proceeds of an individual retirement account.
(d) A trust created under:
1. (1) section 18 of this chapter for the care of an animal; or
2. (2) section 19 of this chapter for a noncharitable purpose;
  has a beneficiary.
(e) A trust has a beneficiary if the beneficiary can be presently ascertained or ascertained in the future, subject to any applicable rule against perpetuities.
(f) A power of a trustee to select a beneficiary from an indefinite class is valid. If the power is not exercised within a reasonable time, the power fails and the property subject to the power passes to the persons who would have taken the property had the power not been conferred.
(g) A trust may be created by exercise of a power of appointment in favor of a trustee.
Formerly: Acts 1971, P.L.416, SEC.3. As amended by P.L.132-1992, SEC.1; P.L.238-2005, SEC.21; P.L.51-2014, SEC.19.