Which of the following is NOT a general power of appointment?

• A. The power to appoint the property at death to one's own estate
• B. The power to appoint to a specified class of beneficiaries not to include the decedent, his estate nor his creditors
• C. The power to demand the greater of $5,000 or 5% of the trust corpus
• D. The power to appoint assets to your creditors at your death

Answer: (B)

A general power of appointment is broad: the holder can designate who will receive the property, including the possibility of appointing to the holder themselves, the holder’s estate, or the creditors of the holder or their estate. When the instrument limits the recipients to a specific class that does not include the decedent, the decedent’s estate, or the decedent’s creditors, the power is no longer general—it's a limited or special power. The choice describing appointment to a specified class not including the decedent, their estate, or their creditors fits this restricted pattern, so it is not a general power. In contrast, appointing to one’s own estate or to one’s creditors are classic examples of general powers because they allow broad or self-referential appointments. The monetary-demand phrasing describes a withdrawal-type right rather than an appointment to a recipient, which is a different concept.