For a Trustee, What Compensation is the Right Compensation?
The recent decision of Pachaluck Estate v. DiFebo is a useful illustration of when the court is willing to reduce compensation awarded to the trustee for the administration of a simple estate.
The main assets of the estate were the deceased’s condominium and several bank accounts. Her will provided that the condo would be sold and its proceeds would be divided amongst several grandchildren; cash bequests would be made to several individuals; and the residue of the estate would be divided amongst the deceased’s two daughters.
When the administration of the estate was near completion, the estate trustee brought an application to pass accounts. One of the residual beneficiaries objected to the accounts in part on the basis that the compensation claimed was over and above that what was warranted in the circumstances.
In determining what compensation should be allowable, the court considered the five factors articulated in Re Toronto General Trusts and Central Ontario Railway:
(a) magnitude of the trust;
(b) care, responsibility, and risks assumed by the fiduciary;
(c) time spent by the fiduciary carrying out obligations;
(d) skill and ability required and displayed by the fiduciary; and
(e) results obtained and degree of success associated with the efforts.
The court found that while the five factor were useful guidelines, the analysis should be fact specific and sensitive to the specifics of the estate administration in question. The court also found that the application of a percentage in determining compensation should not be set in stone but should be fact specific.
In the end, the court decided to reduce compensation. In considering the sale of the condo, the court found that the administration of the estate with respect to this asset was uncomplicated and straightforward. With respect to the cash bequests, the court also found that distributing them was simple. As a result, it ordered the compensation associated with the sale of the condo and the distribution of the proceeds to be reduced to 1.5% while it ordered compensation related to the balance of the estate reduced to 2.0%.
Have a great day!
Megan F. Connolly
