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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>376126</law_id><section_number>64.2-2700</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="136" identifier="64.2">Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="5" identifier="V">Provisions Applicable to Probate and Nonprobate Transfers</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="6" identifier="27">Uniform Powers of Appointment Act</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:<br/><br/>		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Appointee</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> to which a <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span> makes an appointment of <span class="dictionary">appointive property</span>.<br/><br/>		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Appointive property</span>&#x201D; means the property or property interest subject to a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span>.<br/><br/>		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Blanket-exercise clause</span>&#x201D; means a clause in an <span class="dictionary">instrument</span> which exercises a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> and is not a <span class="dictionary">specific-exercise clause</span>. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Blanket-exercise clause</span>&#x201D; includes a clause that:</p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Expressly uses the words &#x201C;any power&#x201D; in exercising any <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span> has; <a id="paragraph-1404400" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-2700/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Expressly uses the words &#x201C;any property&#x201D; in appointing any property over which the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span> has a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span>; or <a id="paragraph-1404401" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-2700/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="3"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Disposes of all property subject to <span class="dictionary">disposition</span> by the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Donor</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> that creates a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span>.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Exclusionary power of appointment</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> exercisable in favor of any one or more of the <span class="dictionary">permissible appointees</span> to the exclusion of the other <span class="dictionary">permissible appointees</span>.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">General power of appointment</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> exercisable in favor of the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span>, the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span>&#x2019;s estate, a <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> of the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span>, or a <span class="dictionary">creditor</span> of the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span>&#x2019;s estate.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Gift-in-default clause</span>&#x201D; means a clause in the <span class="dictionary">instrument</span> creating the power identifying a <span class="dictionary">taker in default of appointment</span>.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Impermissible appointee</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> that is not a <span class="dictionary">permissible appointee</span>.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Instrument</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">record</span>.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Nongeneral power of appointment</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> that is not a <span class="dictionary">general power of appointment</span>.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Permissible appointee</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> in whose favor a <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span> may exercise a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span>.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Person</span>&#x201D; means an individual; estate; trust; business or nonprofit entity; public corporation; government or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality; or other legal entity.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Powerholder</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> in which a <span class="dictionary">donor</span> creates a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span>.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Power of appointment</span>&#x201D; means a power that enables a <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span> acting in a nonfiduciary capacity to designate a recipient of an ownership interest in or another <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> over the <span class="dictionary">appointive property</span>. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Power of appointment</span>&#x201D; does not include a <span class="dictionary">power of attorney</span>.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Presently exercisable power of appointment</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> exercisable by the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span> at the relevant time. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Presently exercisable power of appointment</span>&#x201D;: <a id="paragraph-1404402" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-2700/#3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Includes a <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span> not exercisable until the occurrence of a specified event, the satisfaction of an ascertainable standard, or the passage of a specified time only after:
			a. The occurrence of the specified event;<br/><br/>			b. The satisfaction of the ascertainable standard; or<br/><br/>			c. The passage of the specified time; and <a id="paragraph-1404403" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-2700/#1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Does not include a power exercisable only at the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span>&#x2019;s death.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Record</span>&#x201D; means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Specific-exercise clause</span>&#x201D; means a clause in an instrument which specifically refers to and exercises a particular <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span>.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Taker in default of appointment</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> that takes all or part of the <span class="dictionary">appointive property</span> to the extent that the <span class="dictionary">powerholder</span> does not effectively exercise the <span class="dictionary">power of appointment</span>.<br/><br/>			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Terms of the instrument</span>&#x201D; means the manifestation of the <span class="dictionary">intent</span> of the maker of the instrument regarding the instrument&#x2019;s provisions as expressed in the instrument or as may be established by other <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> that would be <span class="dictionary">admissible</span> in a legal proceeding. <a id="paragraph-1404404" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/64.2-2700/#2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1944, p. 67; Michie Suppl. 1946, &#xA7; 5440(1); Code 1950, &#xA7; 55-278; 2012, c. 614; 2016, c. 266.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
