Managing Disbursement Challenges in Trust Administration: Fiduciary Responsibilities and Legal Considerations

Why Attend?

• Understand fiduciary duties and distribution standards that govern trust administration.
• Learn how disbursement decisions affect public benefits eligibility.
• Gain practical strategies for evaluating and approving complex or high-risk requests.
• Review real-life fact patterns involving difficult disbursement and termination scenarios.
• Improve communication and transparency with beneficiaries and stakeholders.

Managing disbursements is one of the most complex and high-risk aspects of trust administration.

This program examines the fiduciary responsibilities and legal considerations associated with making prudent distribution decisions, with a focus on special needs trusts and settlement preservation trusts. Attendees will gain practical insight into how distribution decisions can impact public benefits, tax treatment, and long-term trust objectives.

Through real-world examples and best practices, this session provides guidance on navigating challenging disbursement requests, maintaining compliance with regulatory frameworks, and communicating effectively with beneficiaries and advisors. The discussion equips fiduciaries and practitioners with strategies to manage risk, protect trust assets, and administer trusts with confidence and clarity.

Registration Deadlines:

Cancellation Policy: Cancellation/transfer requests will be honored until 5:00 p.m. the day preceding the seminar. You will, however, be charged $40 if you cancel or transfer your registration to a different seminar after the link to the materials has been e-mailed by Virginia CLE^®.

Full refunds or transfers are available up to two days after a webcast in the unlikely event that you experience technical difficulties.

MCLE Credit Caveat: The MCLE Board measures credits by the time you spend in attendance. If you enter a seminar late or leave it early, or both, you must reflect those adjustments accurately in the credits you report on your credit reporting form. A code will be given at the end of the seminar, which must be written on your MCLE form.

Private recording of this program is prohibited.

Can’t Attend?

E-mail distance_ed@vacle.org to be notified when/if this program is made available as an online or USB seminar.
E-mail publications@vacle.org to be notified when/if this program’s seminar materials are made available for sale.

Course Schedule

• Q&A will be handled via chat room for Webcast attendees.
• Q&A will be handled via e-mail for telephone seminar attendees.

About the Speaker

Ben Tiefenback, Commonwealth Community Trust / Richmond

Ben Tiefenback, Esq., is Counsel and Director of Client Services at Commonwealth Community Trust. Prior to joining CCT, Mr. Tiefenback was a trust and estate attorney at Sands Anderson PC and TrustBuilders Law Group. His practice focused on estate planning and trust creation and administration, with an emphasis on special needs trust planning due to his personal experiences with special needs issues in his family.