36C-7-702. Trustee's bond.

(a) A trustee shall provide bond to secure the performance of the trustee's duties if:

(1) The trust instrument was executed before January 1, 2006, unless the terms of the trust instrument provide otherwise;

(2) The trust instrument was executed on or after January 1, 2006, but only if the terms of the trust instrument require the trustee to provide bond;

(3) A beneficiary requests the trustee to provide bond, and the court finds the request to be reasonable; or

(4) The court finds that it is necessary for the trustee to provide bond in order to protect the interests of beneficiaries who are not able to protect themselves and whose interests otherwise are not adequately represented.

However, in no event shall bond be required of a trustee if the governing instrument directs otherwise.

(b) If bond is required, it shall be in a sum of double the value of the personal property to come into the trustee's hands if bond is executed by a personal surety, and in an amount not less than one and one-fourth times the value of all personal property of the trust estate if the bond is secured by a suretyship bond executed by a corporate surety company authorized by the Commissioner of Insurance to do business in this State, provided that the court, when the value of the personal property exceeds one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), may accept bond in an amount equal to the value of the personal property plus ten percent (10%) of that value, conditioned upon the faithful performance of the trustee's duties and for the payment to the persons entitled to receive property that may come into the trustee's hands. All bonds executed under this Article shall be filed with the clerk of superior court.

(c) On petition of the trustee or a qualified beneficiary, the court may excuse a requirement of bond, reduce the amount of the bond, release the surety, or permit the substitution of another bond with the same or different sureties.

(d) As provided in G.S. 53-159 and G.S. 53-366(a)(10), banks and trust companies licensed to do trust business in this State need not give bond, even if required by the terms of the trust.