X-Message-Number: 10833
Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 07:44:38 -0500
From: Thomas Donaldson <>
Subject: CryoNet #10827

Re: Trusts

Since Thomas Nord didn't discuss this, nor did Rudi Hoff in an earlier
posting, I feel that I should bring this matter up right now. It's
hardly original with me!

The fundamental problem, and the reason why Lichtenstein was mentioned
in the first place, is that in many legal jurisdictions it is not 
possible to write a legal trust which will last indefinitely. Just how
the Trust is stopped varies with the jurisdiction, some say a human
life plus (say) 90 years, others give a fixed number of years, and so
on. Saul Kent, after some effort, did find out that Lichtenstein had
versions of "Stiftung"'s that COULD be written to last indefinitely.
Hard searching may even uncover other countries which allow that, but
right now I'm not aware of any.

We want a cryonics Trust to last indefinitely because none of us really
knows how long it will take to revive us, ourselves. Sure, there has
even been some advance in cryonics technology, particularly recently,
but until you yourself are suspended your condition at the time you
are suspended will remain unknown, as will that of just how much 
and what kind of repair you will need to be revived. (I'm saying that
just because Joe Bloggs over there is revived after only 30 years it
doesn't mean that the same will happen to YOU).

Basically, regardless of what the Trust Document says, in those legal
jurisdictions which don't allow trusts to last indefinitely the day
will come when the government will either confiscate the money or 
hand it over to some person or incorporated association. That will
happen regardless of how you word your Trust. The legal name in 
Anglo-Saxon jurisdictions of the law that forbids indefinite trusts is
the Rule against Perpetuities.

And for libertarians reading this, isn't it nice how all these various
governments work out ways to confiscate your money ;-).

			Best and long long life,

				Thomas Donaldson

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