In the case of an income trust, an amount that is transferable to unitholders. In the case of an estate trust, the amount to be distributed to a beneficiary. Distributable net income is the maximum amount received by a unitholder or a beneficiary that is taxable; any amount above this figure will be tax free. |||Distributable net income is seen as a close estimate of the true economic value the distribution would provide, but the actual amount paid out to those designated will most likely vary. At times, DNI is paid out to minimize the tax burden levied on the trust itself, and it can also provide a steady income to a beneficiary or a unitholder.