What is the role of the trustor in a trust?

The trustor, often referred to as the grantor or settlor, plays a crucial role in the establishment of a trust. One of the primary responsibilities of the trustor is to appoint a trustee who will manage the trust assets in accordance with the terms of the trust agreement. By designating a trustee, the trustor ensures that someone is in place to administer the trust and manage its assets according to the specific instructions laid out in the trust document.

This is a foundational aspect of how trusts operate, as the trustor creates the trust but does not actively manage it. Instead, the trustee takes on that responsibility, acting in the best interests of the beneficiaries. The trustor’s role is more about establishing the parameters and appointing responsible parties to manage the trust rather than direct management or any administrative tasks.

The other options reflect misunderstandings about the trustor's responsibilities: managing trust assets directly is typically the role of the trustee; acting solely as a beneficiary does not apply as the trustor can also be a beneficiary but assumes a different role in terms of creating the trust; and dissolving the trust at will generally requires adherence to certain terms and conditions which might not be within the trustor's unilateral power depending on the type of trust