A trustee is a person or entity designated by a person who creates a trust (grantor, settlor, or trustor) to manage and administer the trust for the benefit of the named beneficiary or beneficiaries. The trustee of a trust created for estate planning purposes is often the grantor, settlor, or trustor who created and funded the trust.

A trust agreement may designate one or more successor trustees who will become the trustee if the previous trustee dies, is unable to continue to serve as trustee, resigns as trustee, or is removed by court order following a lawsuit filed by the beneficiary or beneficiaries of the trust.

A trustee has a fiduciary duty to the beneficiary or beneficiaries of the trust. A fiduciary duty includes the highest duty of care (performance of duties under the terms of the trust agreement) and of loyalty (avoiding conflicts of interest) recognized in law.

In Connecticut, a trustee is responsible for managing a trust in accordance with the terms set forth by the grantor and the state's legal framework. Trustees may be individuals or entities, and they often serve as the original trustee if they are also the grantor. Successor trustees are designated to take over the trustee's responsibilities in the event of death, incapacity, resignation, or removal of the current trustee. Trustees in Connecticut are bound by a fiduciary duty, which is the highest standard of care in managing the trust's assets and acting in the best interests of the beneficiaries. This duty encompasses both a duty of care, ensuring that they manage the trust prudently and in accordance with its terms, and a duty of loyalty, requiring them to avoid conflicts of interest and to act solely for the benefit of the beneficiaries. Connecticut statutes and case law provide the regulatory framework for the administration of trusts and the responsibilities of trustees.