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Mutual Funds-Trusts And Trustees-Capital Gains Distributions From Mutual Funds: Income Or Principal?, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

The growing prevalence of mutual fund shares in the assets of small and medium-sized estates has made the problem of allocating capital gains distributions between income and principal a matter of great concern to the trustees of such estates. A "capital gains" distribution represents a gain resulting from the profitable sale of securities held by the mutual fund. The uncertain state of the law regarding capital gains distributions from mutual funds presents a serious dilemma to the trustee: if he distributes the capital gains to the life beneficiary, the remainderman may claim that such distributions represent a partial liquidation of …