A plain-language definition, not a conclusion about a document or case. Read the term in its full legal context.
Plain-English meaning
Trustee
The person or institution holding legal authority over trust property and required to administer it under the trust terms and fiduciary law.
Why the term matters
The trustee manages, invests, accounts, communicates, and distributes within the authority granted by the document and law.
Do not confuse it with
The trustee is not the same as the grantor or beneficiary, although one person can sometimes occupy multiple roles.