Fiduciaries have a specific role to play today and in the future. As the baby boomers age, the need for trustworthy, responsible and loyal professionals will increase. As a fiduciary, I will honor your wishes with care and compassion. I will follow the intentions of the legal documents honestly and with integrity. A fiduciary is a coordinator, a facilitator, a researcher, an advocate, a negotiator, and someone who will get the job done. We are also good listeners and care for the people we are involved with.
Gaining a deep understanding of your wishes laid out in your estate documents and through conversations with you, if appropriate, will help us do the job you want us to. As author of the workbook, A Graceful Farewell: Putting Your Affairs in Order, I encourage clients to review the book and complete the appropriate sections. This will make my job easier, save you money and move the job along quicker so that your beneficiaries will receive their inheritance sooner rather than later.
I would work closely with professionals who are expert in their respective fields: investment advisors, CPA’s, attorneys, realtor estate brokers, and health care providers to carry out your estate plans and bring the best care possible for my clients. I meet with those involved so I can comprehend the dynamics and serve the families in a most trustworthy manner.
A fiduciary is someone who acts in a position of trust and loyalty. A fiduciary takes on responsibilities usually done by the individual themselves or someone in their family: an elder in need who has lost capacity, a person with special needs that require specific care, or a person who needs help with financial and medical decisions or as a trustor when family live far away or are not available.
Fiduciaries also assist in the coordination of services needed for our clients. From arranging and attending medical and dental appointments, communicating and hiring contractors and other service providers to maintain and keep the home in proper condition, to hiring a care giving agency to provide in-home support, to overseeing the activities in the home or facility our client resides in. Many of us pay bills and manage money for clients, paying attention and advocating on all insurance policies for the individual and home, bank account oversight, tracking investments and working with financial advisors on the best long-term plan that would benefit the client.