A settlor may specify what happens if an interest in trust is refused; otherwise, the section provides default rules for how refusal affects income and principal beneficiaries.
§1990. Effect of refusal upon interest refused A settlor may stipulate the effect of refusal. Unless the trust instrument otherwise provides, the following rules govern: (1) Refusal of the entire interest in trust causes the trust to fail. (2) Refusal by the sole income beneficiary causes principal beneficiaries, other than the refusing beneficiary, to become income beneficiaries, to the extent of the interest refused, in amounts proportionate to their interests or, in the absence of other principal beneficiaries, such a refusal operates as a substitution of the settlor or his heirs or legatees as beneficiaries of the refused income interest. (3) Except as provided in Paragraph (4), refusal of an interest by one of several income beneficiaries inures in favor of the other beneficiaries or their successors in proportion to their interests in the balance of the trust income. (4) If one or more descendants of a refusing income beneficiary are the beneficiaries of an interest in trust principal, either by designation in the instrument or by reason of Paragraph (5), those descendants become the beneficiaries of the refused interest, in proportion to their interests in trust principal. (5) A principal beneficiary of a testamentary trust who refuses his interest and to whom R.S. 9:1809 would have applied had he predeceased the settlor shall be treated as having predeceased the settlor. (6) Unless Paragraph (5) applies, refusal by the sole principal beneficiary operates a substitution of the settlor or his heirs or legatees as beneficiary of the principal, to the extent of the interest refused, without affecting the interest of the income beneficiary. (7) Unless Paragraph (5) applies, refusal of an interest by one of several principal beneficiaries inures in favor of the other beneficiaries or their successors in proportion to their interests in the balance of the trust principal. Acts 1983, No. 79, §1; Acts 2003, No. 480, §1.