In support of her petition to rescind and to terminate the irrevocable deed of trust created by her, exceptant claimed that the deed
Settlor’s counsel denies the applicability of the authority of Potter v. The Fidelity Insurance Trust & Safe Deposit Co., 199 Pa. 360; King et al. v. York Trust Co., 278 Pa. 141; Jones’s Trust Estate, 284 Pa. 90; Reese’s Estate, 317 Pa. 473; Harding v. Harding, 305 Pa. 572, which hold that executed gifts, even though voluntary, cannot be disturbed unless it is shown that they were procured by fraud or imposition or executed under a misapprehension of the facts or of the law.
Settlor bases her case upon A. L. I. Restatement of the Law of Trusts, §333:
“A trust can be rescinded or reformed upon the same grounds that those upon which a transfer of property not in trust can be rescinded or reformed.
“a. Grounds for rescission or reformation. Where no consideration is paid for the creation of a trust, it can be rescinded or reformed upon the same grounds such as fraud, duress, undue influence or mistake, as those upon which a gratuitous transfer of property not in trust can be rescinded or reformed. . . .
“e. Mistake. The settlor can rescind a trust created by him as a result of a material mistake. Where no consideration is paid for the creation of the trust, it is sufficient that the settlor was induced by mistake to create the trust, although neither the trustee nor the beneficiary shared in the mistake or knew of it, . . .”
Local annotations of this doctrine are Spangler’s Appeal, 24 Pa. 424, Painter’s Estate, 42 Pa. 156, and Russell’s Appeal, 75 Pa. 269. In the first of these
The auditing judge has made specific and extensive findings of fact upon the many issues raised by the testimony and has supported them with reasons and
Counsel for settlor seeks to make much of the admitted failure to explain to Mrs. Kydd that creditors could attach her income. That oversight is unimportant. Under any form of trust that Mrs. Kydd might create, creditors could attach the income, but it does not follow that should that event have occurred that Mrs. Kydd would be without support. In the first place, real protection was afforded her against attachment of principal and at the same time, she was free to call upon the trustee to invade principal for her support. This discretion being a legal one, it must have been exercised by the trustee in her favor: Erisman v. Directors, 47 Pa. 509. This court would be quick to review any refusal.
Settlor also pleads hardship, claiming that she cannot live on the current $133 per month income. This smacks of afterthought. It certainly is a subject which was within the realm of estimation prior to the creation of the trust. It is too late to complain about it at this time. However, this exigency reveals the wisdom of those who drew the instrument, for settlor can now under the terms of the deed demand that principal be invaded to an extent necessary to alleviate her hardship.
Among the many subjects covered by the exceptions is the finding that Mr. Hitchcock, the attorney who drew the deed, dealt at arm’s length with settlor. The inference from the exceptions is that the attorney was in a confidential relationship to her and should have better advised her. We regard it as immaterial in what capacity Mr. Hitchcock acted. In either position his conduct was regarded by the auditing judge as adequate and efficient in conducting the preparation and execution of the deed. The authorities require only that every material element must be included
The exceptions are dismissed and the adjudication is confirmed absolutely.
