烏特馬法規(guī)下人身保險合同所有權(quán)轉(zhuǎn)讓以保護未成年人再思考

烏特馬法規(guī)下人身保險合同所有權(quán)轉(zhuǎn)讓以保護未成年人再思考ContractOwnershipTransfersUndertheUTMAALT,ANTHONYJ.AmericanJournalofFamilyLaw，2010，Vol.24：1-6烏特馬法規(guī)下人身保險合同所有權(quán)轉(zhuǎn)讓以愛護未成年人再摸索J.奧特.安斯瑞森美國家庭法雜志，2010，第24卷：1-6頁烏特馬法規(guī)下人身保險合同所有權(quán)轉(zhuǎn)讓以愛護未成年人再摸索示范法的目的是雙重的：（1）進一步統(tǒng)一各司法管轄區(qū)（2）以協(xié)助提供明確的立法，愛護這些人（立法者）的最佳利益。一個成功的模式在專門大程度上是”轉(zhuǎn)移到未成年人統(tǒng)一法（烏特馬法規(guī)）”，其已在48個州以及哥倫比亞特區(qū)通過。該烏特馬法規(guī)是UniformGiftstoMinorsAct的擴大，該法已在一些州獲得形式通過。烏特馬法規(guī)是在信任和監(jiān)護之間的混合。同樣地，家庭法律從業(yè)者應(yīng)熟悉的烏特馬法規(guī)，能夠承諾對未成年人有龐大好處的行動，然而同時使對極易受損害的未成年人的物產(chǎn)托管人的疏忽或恣意地有害行動轉(zhuǎn)移至烏特馬法規(guī)之下。家庭法律師應(yīng)該詢咨詢?yōu)跆伛R法規(guī)下物產(chǎn)是否存在烏特馬法規(guī)要求一旦未成年人達到要求年齡,托管人確信地把監(jiān)護的財產(chǎn)轉(zhuǎn)移到未成年人。財產(chǎn)托管人確信要移交財產(chǎn)的義務(wù)，如人壽保險的歸屬政策一樣，使未成年人容易受到不轉(zhuǎn)移財產(chǎn)托管人的侵害，不管是由于疏忽或恣意。而非規(guī)定有義務(wù)移交保管的財產(chǎn)，烏特馬應(yīng)進行修改使未成年人達到必要的年齡時，將所有權(quán)以及人身保險單的占有權(quán)自動轉(zhuǎn)交給未成年人。然而直到烏特馬被修改，律師處理離婚和子女撫養(yǎng)權(quán)訴訟時應(yīng)當(dāng)詢咨詢未成年人是否為烏特馬法規(guī)下的物主或者壽險受益人，如果是如此，確保在保單中列的托管人會愛護未成年人的最大利益，并在適當(dāng)?shù)臅r候轉(zhuǎn)讓保單或收益。如果對被列的財產(chǎn)托管人在愛護未成年人最大利益時有疑咨詢，參與子女撫養(yǎng)權(quán)訴訟或離婚的律師應(yīng)該尋求烏特馬法規(guī)保改變托管人。這能夠通過托管人辭職或任命后繼者托管人或通過訴請法院來完成。關(guān)于處理離婚訴訟律師來講，查明未成年人是否為人壽險保單財產(chǎn)擁有人或按照烏特馬法規(guī)下年金（或任何烏特馬下的財產(chǎn)）享有人是重要的，因為這些財產(chǎn)是不是托管人的婚姻財產(chǎn)。因此，它應(yīng)該可不能阻礙運算的婚姻財產(chǎn)的分配。1烏特馬法規(guī)下監(jiān)管財產(chǎn)和托管人義務(wù)的創(chuàng)立烏特馬法規(guī)的第九章規(guī)定，個人能夠以轉(zhuǎn)移財產(chǎn)的形式給予未成年人禮物。如此轉(zhuǎn)移的財產(chǎn)或禮物僅僅局限于授予未成年人因財產(chǎn)所得的利益，但財產(chǎn)當(dāng)前情形下要登記于財產(chǎn)監(jiān)護人之下，直到未成年人達到必須的年齡。個人能夠轉(zhuǎn)移的財產(chǎn)類型是十分廣的。個人能夠轉(zhuǎn)移生命或捐款保險的所有權(quán)或以所有權(quán)人的的身份命名未成年人。通過承諾未成年人被以生命保險所有人命名，或者類似保單的所有權(quán)轉(zhuǎn)交到未成年人手中，烏特馬法規(guī)承認了連續(xù)專門久的概念，即生命保險合同有“財產(chǎn)的一樣特點”。因此，一旦某人以所有權(quán)人命名未成年人或轉(zhuǎn)交烏特馬法規(guī)下的生命保險合同的所有權(quán)，那么該未成年人無可置疑的被授予保險合同的所有權(quán)。然而財產(chǎn)監(jiān)護人有權(quán)益、權(quán)力以及必要的義務(wù)來占有和經(jīng)營財產(chǎn)直到未成年人達到必須的年齡。只是，財產(chǎn)監(jiān)護人沒有法定權(quán)益獵取生命保險單的所有權(quán)，直到所有權(quán)歸屬于未成年人。因此，一個財產(chǎn)監(jiān)護人也許應(yīng)該確切的表述為，代表未成年人利益而擁有保單財產(chǎn)性利益，而非擁有真正的所有權(quán)或所有權(quán)益益。1.1（財產(chǎn)）轉(zhuǎn)交至未成年人代表未成年人行使財產(chǎn)性利益時，財產(chǎn)監(jiān)護人必須以善良治理人的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)要求自己處理財務(wù)事務(wù)。如果托管人有一項專門的技能或?qū)ｉT知識，那么他將被要求運用之。如果未成年人是唯獨的受益人，財產(chǎn)監(jiān)護人或許會投資或在保單上投入專門多保費。一旦未成年人達到必須年齡，烏特馬法規(guī)規(guī)定：“財產(chǎn)托管人應(yīng)該以恰當(dāng)?shù)姆绞綄⑺O(jiān)管財產(chǎn)轉(zhuǎn)交到未成年人或其遺產(chǎn)?！薄皯?yīng)當(dāng)轉(zhuǎn)交”一詞表明，在烏特馬法規(guī)下被轉(zhuǎn)讓保單的財產(chǎn)監(jiān)護人有確信得義務(wù)將保單所有和操縱權(quán)在未成年人達到規(guī)定的年齡是轉(zhuǎn)交。通過設(shè)一個確信義務(wù)來促使托管人向未成年人轉(zhuǎn)交保單，法律強調(diào)的是，盡管未成年人差不多毫無置疑地被授予保單上的合法權(quán)益，卻沒有形成財產(chǎn)從監(jiān)護人到未成年人的自動轉(zhuǎn)交。也確實是講，托管人必須用“恰當(dāng)?shù)姆绞健睂⒈蔚呢敭a(chǎn)權(quán)轉(zhuǎn)交給未成年人。在保單案例中，轉(zhuǎn)交保單的“恰當(dāng)方式”是讓托管人簽署一份所有權(quán)轉(zhuǎn)讓表格，監(jiān)護人由此舍棄對保單的操縱。這種完成所有權(quán)轉(zhuǎn)讓表格的行為向保險人表明，監(jiān)護人行使任何權(quán)益，權(quán)力或權(quán)威的資格差不多終止。伊利諾伊州的烏特馬法規(guī)明確地在不動產(chǎn)和個人財產(chǎn)間做了區(qū)分。關(guān)于不動產(chǎn)，有一個自動轉(zhuǎn)交給未成年人機制（托管人沒有被要求去促成財產(chǎn)向未成年人轉(zhuǎn)交）。但關(guān)于個人財產(chǎn)（包括保險單）而言，沒有規(guī)定財產(chǎn)向未成年人自動轉(zhuǎn)讓的權(quán)益。1.2案例強化除了法定的措辭之外，在涉及類似于人壽保險的個人財產(chǎn)的判例法也表明，在未成年人達到法定年齡之時，個人財產(chǎn)所有權(quán)可不能自動的從托管人名下轉(zhuǎn)移到該未成年人名下。例如，在里根訴康奈里一案中，父親創(chuàng)建了一個公司，將96％的股份給予其子女，并以托管人的名義持有該股份。按照田納西州烏特馬法規(guī)，該父親代表其子女持有這些股份是合法的，然而當(dāng)他的子女成年之時，他沒有將這些股票轉(zhuǎn)移到他的子女名下。但法院認定托管人沒有將所有權(quán)轉(zhuǎn)移可不能阻礙到未成年女子關(guān)于股份的訴訟要求權(quán)。因此，法院認為，盡管當(dāng)未成年子女達到法定年齡之時有所有權(quán)，但托管人仍有必要將財產(chǎn)所有權(quán)轉(zhuǎn)移給子女。

沒有監(jiān)護權(quán)的父母不能作為托管人。

在estra

訴estra案中，按照康涅狄格州烏特馬法規(guī)，一位母親為其女兒創(chuàng)建了一個投資賬戶，并作為其托管人治理這些資產(chǎn)。當(dāng)其女兒達到法定年齡時，這位母親拒絕將其占有的財產(chǎn)轉(zhuǎn)移給其女兒。法院按照烏特馬法規(guī)，托管人有義務(wù)在未成年人達到法定年齡時將其占有的財產(chǎn)轉(zhuǎn)移給該未成年人，但這種交付不是自動完成的。

這些案例證明了烏特馬法規(guī)明確的要求托管人有義務(wù)在未成年人達到法定年齡時將其占有的財產(chǎn)轉(zhuǎn)移給該未成年人。而且，這些案例還講明了如果托管人不作為，未成年人能夠以違反信托責(zé)任為由，或者以盜竊罪提起訴訟。因此如果烏特馬法規(guī)規(guī)定，當(dāng)未成年人達到法定年齡時，無需托管人的實際轉(zhuǎn)移，財產(chǎn)權(quán)即自動轉(zhuǎn)移，就不需要為了取得財產(chǎn)權(quán)而提起這些訴訟了。2通過為保單創(chuàng)建例外條款來幸免潛在的損害壽險保單在為保險公司和未成年人在烏特馬法規(guī)（情形）下產(chǎn)生了一個專門的咨詢題。如上所述，在烏特馬法規(guī)下，托管人并不是轉(zhuǎn)讓或創(chuàng)建壽險保單的持有人；托管人僅僅擁有一個有關(guān)代表未成年人的保險合同的合同權(quán)益。然而由于烏特馬法規(guī)設(shè)定了一個確信得義務(wù)給托管人，要求其轉(zhuǎn)移個人財產(chǎn)的占有給未成年人再然后通過完成一份所有權(quán)轉(zhuǎn)讓表格來實現(xiàn)，保險公司在一份正確的財產(chǎn)轉(zhuǎn)移表格完成之前是可不能向未成年人轉(zhuǎn)移所有權(quán)的。如此的咨詢題大量存在。第一，托管人永久可不能完成所有制形式的轉(zhuǎn)讓，從而永久可不能轉(zhuǎn)讓保單給一個已達到法定年齡的未成年人是可能的。那個可能會發(fā)生的緣故有專門多：托管人由于忽視而不記得填寫表格；托管人拒絕完成所有制形式的轉(zhuǎn)讓;或由于過時的聯(lián)系信息，保險公司可能無法滿足托管人或剛成為成年人的人。第二，沒能成功地促使托管人去完成所有制形式轉(zhuǎn)讓的剛成年的人必須要付昂貴的訴訟費。付出了一些在烏特馬法規(guī)的政策下微小的特定的優(yōu)待后，剛成年的人采取行動反對托管人從而迫使托管人轉(zhuǎn)讓這項政策的占有權(quán)或所有權(quán)可能可不能花費專門多。第三，托管人、未成年人還有保險公司要求其他托管人完成所有權(quán)形式轉(zhuǎn)讓來轉(zhuǎn)讓保險政策是不明智的。這就要求托管人聯(lián)絡(luò)合適的保險公司，并完成必要的形式。如果剛已成年的人忘了或者拒絕填寫表格，不管是訴訟依舊其他的什么方式，他們接觸和迫使不合作的托管人去完成轉(zhuǎn)讓所有權(quán)形式，這對他們來講是一種負擔(dān)。如果剛成年的人在管轄范疇的實效內(nèi)未能成功的采取措施來反對托管人，那么他們可能一并失去那個政策的占有權(quán)。這也迫使保險公司要么承擔(dān)發(fā)送給托管人表格后的后果，要么妥善地監(jiān)管這項政策，監(jiān)管方式為一旦未成年人成為成年人托管人不承諾行駛保管財產(chǎn)的任何權(quán)益。2.1電子注解不管情形如何，對托管人采取主動地責(zé)任來完成保單所有制的轉(zhuǎn)讓是沒有必要的。第一，無形的個人財產(chǎn)的所有權(quán)和占有利益例如人身保險合同不需要像其他的個人財產(chǎn)似的轉(zhuǎn)讓實際的物體。因此，填寫一個表格并不是必須的。該烏特馬法規(guī)應(yīng)該批準(zhǔn)一個由保險公司的文件中制作的電子注釋--當(dāng)未成年人立即達到法定年齡時，文件承諾自動轉(zhuǎn)讓給他們。此外，當(dāng)托管人代表未成年人時，他并不是嚴(yán)格意義上的保單持有人。托管人在作為受托人/監(jiān)護人時，僅僅擁有占有利益。因此，所有制形式的轉(zhuǎn)讓是誤導(dǎo)，因為，一旦未成年人達到必要的年齡后，保險政策所有權(quán)沒有轉(zhuǎn)讓的情形會發(fā)生。再次，一旦未成年人達到必要的年齡后，烏特馬法規(guī)應(yīng)該承諾在內(nèi)部記錄的保險公司簡單地做一個電子注釋—未成年人是一個充分行使政策所有權(quán)的團體。如此能夠幸免保險公司不得不試圖聯(lián)系疏忽或者不配合的托管人，幸免托管人不得不完成一些附加的表格或近一步接觸保險提供商，并承諾剛由未成年人剛變成成年人的人行使他們?nèi)克袡?quán)和占有權(quán)而沒有任何昂貴的訴訟費，在這項政策的基礎(chǔ)上建立全部的所有權(quán)。2.2建議對烏特馬法規(guī)進行修改為了愛護未成年人的最佳利益，并為參與的所有團體得到更權(quán)益的商業(yè)行為，應(yīng)該做個在烏特馬法規(guī)下托管人責(zé)任下做出轉(zhuǎn)讓財產(chǎn)的例外，在未成年人達到必要的年齡后，自動轉(zhuǎn)讓保險政策所有權(quán)應(yīng)該獲得準(zhǔn)許。烏特馬法規(guī)的第二十章將做適當(dāng)?shù)男薷模砑觾?nèi)容如下：在一定程度上，壽險保單確實是保管好的財產(chǎn)，無運送或運送給未成年人或他們遺產(chǎn)，當(dāng)未成年人達到必要的年齡或未成年人死后，終止行使托管人的權(quán)益是必須的。直到做出那個例外，當(dāng)未成年人達到法定年齡后，保險公司應(yīng)連續(xù)要求托管人完成轉(zhuǎn)讓所有權(quán)形式。此外，職業(yè)家庭法的律師應(yīng)當(dāng)注意烏特馬法規(guī)下的托管人通過不在適當(dāng)時候轉(zhuǎn)交財產(chǎn)來濫用或違反其義務(wù)事實發(fā)生的潛在性。參與子女監(jiān)護訴訟的律師將會盡職地去詢咨詢是否有烏特馬規(guī)定下的財產(chǎn)存在，如果存在，就要保證列明托管人會可信同時情愿愛護未成年人的最大利益。如果發(fā)生任何關(guān)于托管人情愿適當(dāng)?shù)匦惺蛊渎氊?zé)的疑咨詢，律師應(yīng)該通過撤換和任命新的托管人等方式來采取防范措施。3結(jié)論烏特馬法規(guī)會成為人們轉(zhuǎn)移財產(chǎn)給未成年人的有效方式。即便如此，關(guān)于人壽保險而言需要托管人完成去一份令人困惑的財產(chǎn)轉(zhuǎn)移表格，進而才能轉(zhuǎn)移無形的個人財產(chǎn)的占有權(quán)給剛剛成年的人。這迫使未成年人必須進行訴訟反對托管人以強迫他們轉(zhuǎn)移財產(chǎn)，該行為同時也威逼未成年人產(chǎn)生因不提出在限制法規(guī)之內(nèi)的訴訟而丟失他們的財產(chǎn)權(quán)益的可能性。此外，保險公司能容易地在保險單內(nèi)記錄托管人權(quán)力的終止日期。鑒于烏特馬的全然目的是促進安全轉(zhuǎn)移財產(chǎn)和對未成年人的占有，烏特馬應(yīng)修改，承諾托管人監(jiān)管的財產(chǎn)在未成年人達到必要年齡時能夠自動轉(zhuǎn)交。直到烏特馬被修改，涉及離婚和子女撫養(yǎng)權(quán)訴訟的律師應(yīng)保持小心，并確定是否存在烏特馬財產(chǎn)，如果存在要確保一個合適的人作為托管人。ProtectingMinorsbyReconsiderationofLifeInsuranceContractOwnershipTransfersUndertheUTMABYANTHONYJ.ALTDEPARTMENTSCHILDRENThepurposeofmodellawsistwofold:(1)tofurtheruniformityamongvariousjurisdictionsand(2)tohelpprovideclearlegislationthatprotectsthebestinterestsofthosetowhomthelegislationwillapply.OnelargelysuccessfulmodellawistheUniformTransferstoMinorsAct(UTMA),whichhasbeenadoptedin48statesandtheDistrictofColumbia.TheUTMAisanexpansionoftheUniformGiftstoMinorsAct,whichhasbeenadoptedinsomeformineverystate.TheUTMAisamixbetweenatrustandaguardianshipandpermitstransfersofpropertytominorsbyvestingthemwithlegaltitleandequitableinteresttotheproperty,whilegrantingpossessoryrights,powers,anddutiestocustodiansofthepropertyonbehalfofminors.Assuch,theUTMA,withwhichfamilylawpractitionersshouldbefamiliar,permitsactionsthatcanbeoftremendousbenefittominors,butsimultaneouslymakesminorsvulnerabletothenegligenceorwillfullyadverseactionsofthecustodiansofpropertytransferredundertheUTMA.FamilylawattorneysshouldinquirewhetherUTMApropertyexists.TheUTMA’srequirementthatcustodiansaffirmativelytransfercustodialpropertytominorsoncetheyreachtherequiredage.Acustodian’saffirmativedutytotransfercustodialproperty,suchasownershipofalifeinsurancepolicy,leavesaminorsusceptibletoacustodianwhofailstotransfertheproperty,whetherduetonegligenceorwillfulness.Insteadofanaffirmativedutytotransfercustodialproperty,theUTMAshouldbemodifiedtoprovideforanautomatictransferofownershipandpossessionofalifeinsurancepolicyuponaminor’sreachingtherequisiteage.ButuntiltheUTMAismodified,attorneyshandlingdivorceandchildcustodyproceedingsshouldinquirewhetheraminorisanownerorbeneficiaryofalifeinsurancepolicyundertheUTMAandifso,ensurethatthecustodianlistedonthepolicywillprotectthebestinterestsoftheminorandtransferthepolicyorproceedsatthepropertime.Ifitisquestionablewhetherthenamedcustodianofthepropertywillprotectthebestinterestsoftheminor,anattorneyinvolvedwithdivorceorchildcustodyproceedingsshouldseektohavetheUTMAcustodianchanged.Thiscanbeaccomplishedbyhavingthecustodianresignandasuccessorcustodiannamedorbypetitioningthecourt.Forattorneyshandlingadivorceproceeding,ascertainingwhetheraminorisanownerofalifeinsurancepolicyorannuityundertheUTMA(oranyUTMAproperty)isimportantsincesuchpropertyisnotmaritalpropertyofthecustodian.Thus,itshouldnotaffectcalculatingthedistributionofmaritalproperty.CREATIONOFCUSTODIALPROPERTYANDCUSTODIAN’SDUTIESUNDERUTMAUnder§9oftheUTMA,apersonisabletomakeagifttoaminorbytransferringpropertytoaminor.Suchatransferorgiftindefeasiblyvestsaminorwithinterestintheproperty,butthepropertyistemporarilyplacedunderthecareofacustodianinsteadoftheminor12untiltheminorreachestherequisiteage.Thetypeofpropertythatapersonmaytransferisbroad.Infact,apersonmaytransferany“conceivablelegalorequitableinterestinpropertyofanykind,includingintangiblepersonalproperty.”O(jiān)neofthetypesofpropertythatapersonmaytransfertoorvestinaminorisalifeinsurancepolicy.TheUTMAexplicitlyallowsforapersontotransferownershipofortonameaminorasanownerofalifeorendowmentinsurancepolicyorannuity.Thismaybeaccomplishedbyprovidingthenameofacustodianwiththeinsuranceorannuityproviderbyincludingthewords“ascustodianfor(nameofminor)underthe[NameofEnactingState]UniformTransferstoMinorsAct”ontheapplication.Byallowingaminortobenamedastheownerofalifeinsurancepolicyorownershipofsuchapolicytobetransferredtoaminor,theUTMArecognizesthelong-standingnotionthatlifeinsurancecontractshave“theordinarycharacteristicsofproperty.”Therefore,onceapersonnamesaminorasanownerorransfersownershipofalifeinsurancecontracttoaminorundertheUTMA,theminorisindefeasiblyvestedwithownershipoftheinsurancecontract.Aspecifiedcustodian,however,assumestheroleofaquasi-trusteeinthatthecustodianhastherights,powers,anddutiesnecessarytopossessandmanagethepolicyuntiltheminorreachestherequiredage.Nevertheless,acustodiandoesnothavelegaltitletoorownershipoftheinsurancepolicysinceitisvestedwiththeminor.Acustodianmaythereforebeproperlydescribedashavingapossessoryinteresttotheinsurancepolicyonbehalfofaminor,ratherthanatrueownershipinterestorclaim.TransfertotheMinorInexercisingapossessoryinterestonbehalfofaminor,acustodianmustexercisethestandardofcareofareasonablyprudentpersonindealingwiththeproperty.20Ifacustodianhasaspecialskillorexpertise,thecustodianisrequiredtousethatskillorexpertise.Acustodianmayinvestorpaypremiumsoninsurancepoliciesiftheminoristhesolebeneficiary.Oncetheminorhasattainedtherequiredage,however,theUTMAindicatesthat“hecustodianshalltransferinanappropriatemannerthecustodialpropertytotheminorortotheminor’sestate.”Theuseofthewords“shalltransfer”indicatesthatacustodianofaninsurancepolicytransferredundertheUTMAhasanafrmativedutytotransfercustodyandcontrolofthepolicytotheminorwhentheminorattainsthespecifiedage.Byplacinganaffirmativedutyonacustodiantotransferthepolicytotheminor,thestatuteimpliesthat,althoughtheminorhasalreadybeenindefeasiblyvestedwithlegaltitletothepolicy,thereisnotanautomatictransferofpossessionfromthecustodiantotheminor.Thatis,thecustodianmustdeliverpossessionofthepolicytotheminorinan“appropriatemanner.”Inthecaseofaninsurancepolicy,the“appropriatemanner”oftransferringthepolicyisforthecustodiantosignatransferofownershipform,therebyrelinquishingcustodialcontroloverthepolicy.Thisactionofcompletingatransferofownershipformindicatestotheinsuranceproviderthatthecustodian’scapacitytoexerciseanyrights,powers,duties,orauthorityhasterminated.Requiringthecustodiantoaffirmativelytransferpersonalproperty(andinthecaseoflifeinsurancetosignatransferofownershipform)isevidencedbytheUTMAasadoptedinvariousstates.Forexample,theUTMAasadoptedinIllinoisindicatesthat:(a)Thecustodianshalltransferinanappropriatemannerthecustodialproperty…totheminorortotheminor’sestateupontheearlierof:(1)theminor’sattainmentof21yearsofagewithrespecttocustodialproperty...(2)theminor’sattainmentofmajorityunderthelawsofthisStateotherthanthisActwithrespecttocustodialproperty...,or(3)theminor’sdeath.(b)Totheextentthecustodialpropertyisrealpropertyoraninterestinrealproperty,noconveyanceordeliverytotheminorortotheminor’sestateisnecessarytoterminatethepowersorrightsofthecustodianupontheminor’sattainmentofage21or18years,asthecasemaybe,orupontheminor’sdeath.TheIllinoisUTMA,therefore,expresslymakesadistinctionbetweenrealpropertyandpersonalproperty.Forrealproperty,thereisanautomatictransfertotheminor(i.e.,thecustodianisnotrequiredtoeffectatransferofthepropertytotheminor).Butforpersonalproperty(includinginsurancepolicies),thereisnoautomatictransferofpropertytotheminor.CaseReinforcementInadditiontostatutorywording,caselawinsituationsinvolvingpersonalpropertyanalogoustoalifeinsurancepolicyindicatesthatthereisnoautomatictransferofpersonalpropertyfromacustodiantoaminorupontheminor’sattainmentofthestatutoryage.Forinstance,inReaganv.Connelly,afathercreatedacorporationandgave96sharesofstockinthecorporationequallytohischildrenbyholdingthesharesascustodianforhischildren.ThefatherheldthesharesonbehalfofhischildrenundertheTennesseeUTMA.Hefailedtodeliverpossessionofthestocktohischildren,however,whentheyattainedtheageofmajority.Nevertheless,thecourtheldthatthefailureofthefather/custodiantodeliverpossessiondidnotaffectthechildren’sclaimtolegaltitleofthestock.Therefore,thecourtrecognizedthat,whilethechildren(turnedadult)hadlegaltitletotheproperty,itwasstillnecessaryforthecustodiantotransferpossessionofthepropertytothechildren.Aparentwithoutcustodyshouldberemovedasacustodian.Also,inEstrav.Estra,amothercreatedaninvestmentaccountforherdaughterundertheConnecticutUTMAandactedascustodianforthemoney.Uponthedaughter’sturningthestatutoryage,themotherrefusedtodeliverpossessionofthepropertytoherdaughter.ThecourtheldthattheUTMArequiredacustodiantodeliverpossessionofcustodialpropertytoaminorupontheminor’sattainingtherequiredagebutthatsuchdeliverywasnotdoneautomatically.Withholdingsuchtransferofpossessionisgroundsforconversion.ThesecasesreinforcethattheUTMAimposesanaffirmativedutyuponacustodiantotransferpossessionofpersonalpropertyuponaminor’sattainingthestatutoryage.Further,thesecasesindicatethatacustodian’sfailuretoeffectsuchatransfercanserveasgroundsforaminor’sbringingacauseofactionbasedonconversion,breachoffiduciaryduty,orfilingacomplaintwiththestateforlarceny.ThesecausesofactionwouldnotneedtobebroughtinordertoobtainrightfulpossessionofpersonalpropertyiftheUTMAprovidedforanautomatictransferofsuchpropertywithoutrequiringanactualtransferbythecustodian.AVOIDINGPOTENTIALFORABUSEBYCREATINGEXCEPTIONFORINSURANCEPOLICIESLifeinsurancepoliciesposeaparticularproblemundertheUTMAforinsurancecompaniesandminors.Asindicated,acustodianisnotanownerofalifeinsurancepolicytransferredorcreatedundertheUTMA;acustodianmerelypossessesthecontractualrightspertainingtoaninsurancecontractonbehalfoftheminor.ButbecausetheUTMAplacesanaffirmativedutyonacustodiantotransferpossessionofpersonalpropertytotheminorandtodosobycompletingatransferofownershipformwiththeinsuranceprovider,aninsurancecompanywillnottransferownershiptotheminoruntilapropertransferofownershipformiscompleted.Thisrequirementcreatesnumerousproblems.First,itispossiblethatacustodianmaynevercompleteatransferofownershipformandtherebynevertransferthepolicytoaminorthathasattainedthestatutoryage.Thiscouldoccurforamultitudeofreasons:acustodianforgetstocompletetheformduetoneglect;acustodianrefusestocompleteatransferofownershipform;oraninsurancecompanymaybeunabletoreachthecustodianorminor-turnedadultduetooutdatedcontactinformation.Second,aminor-turnedadultwhoisunsuccessfulingettingacustodiantocompleteatransferofownershipformmayhavetoresorttocostlylitigation.GiventhegenerallysmalldeathbenefitamountofpoliciesundertheUTMA,itmaynotbecosteffectivefortheminor-turnedadulttobringanactionagainstthecustodiantoforcethecustodiantotransferpossessionor“ownership”ofthepolicy.Third,requiringacustodiantocompleteatransferofownershipformtotransferaninsurancepolicyisinexpedientforcustodians,minors,andinsurancecompanies.Itrequirescustodianstocontacttheproperinsurancecompanyandcompletethenecessaryform.Itplacesaburdenonminors-turnedadultstocontactandforceuncooperativecustodianstocompletetransferofownershipformsiftheyforgetorrefusetocompletetheforms,whetherbylitigationorotherwise.Ifaminor-turnedadultfailstobringanactionagainstacustodianwithinajurisdiction’sstatuteoflimitations,theminor-turnedadultcouldlosepossessoryrightstothepolicyaltogether.Italsoforcesinsurancecompanieseithertoassumetheburdenofsendingoutsuchformstocustodiansortoproperlymonitorthepoliciesinsuchawaythatcustodiansarenotallowedtoexerciseanycustodialauthorityoverthepropertyoncetheminorbecomesanadult.ElectronicNoteRegardlessofthescenario,placinganaffirmativedutyonacustodiantocompleteatransferofownershipformforaninsurancepolicyisunnecessary.First,anownershipandpossessoryinteresttointangiblepersonalpropertysuchasalifeinsurancecontractdonotrequirethephysicaltransferofanobjectlikeotherpersonalproperty.Completionofaform,therefore,shouldnotberequired.TheUTMAshouldallowanelectronicnotationtobemadeintheinsurancecompany’sfilespermittinganautomatictransfertotheminortooccurupontheminor’sattainmentofthestatutoryage.Further,acustodianisnotanownerofaninsurancepolicyinthestrictsensewhenactingonbehalfofaminor;acustodianhasamerepossessoryinterestwhileactingasafiduciary/guardian.Therefore,atransferofownershipformismisleadingsincenotransferofownershiponaninsurancepolicytakesplaceoncetheminorattainstherequisiteage.Again,theUTMAshouldallowinsurancecompaniesintheirinternalrecordstosimplymakeanelectronicnotethattheminoristheproperpartytoexercisefullownershiprightsoverthepolicyoncetheminorattainstherequiredage.Thispreventstheinsurancecompanyfromhavingtotrytocontactneglectfulorreluctantcustodians,preventscustodiansfromhavingtocompleteanyadditionalformsormakefurthercontactwiththeinsuranceprovider,andallowsminors-turnedadultstoexercisetheirfullownershipandpossessoryrightswithoutanycostlylitigationtoestablishfullownershiprightsoverthepolicy.ProposedModi?cationtoUTMAToprotectthebestinterestsofminorsandtoallowformoreexpedientbusinesspracticesforallpartiesinvolved,anexceptiontotheafrmativedutyofcustodianstotransferpropertyunder§20oftheUTMAshouldbemade,andautomatictransfersofownershiponinsurancepoliciesshouldbepermitteduponaminor’sattainmentoftherequisiteage.Asuitablemodificationto§20oftheUTMAwouldbetoaddthefollowingwording:Totheextentthecustodialpropertyisalifeinsurancepolicy,noconveyanceordeliverytotheminorortotheminor’sestateisnecessarytoterminatethepowers