One of the more wonderful but sometimes difficult things I do in my profession is to visit my clients. My appearance is not always welcomed as many of my clients would rather manage the funds in my control than to have me do it but as we settle in I begin to show them how I can help and protect them in their lives as an advocate. That is where the wonderful part comes in, I get to help them improve their lives once they are willing to accept the help.
I say all this to bring home a point: being a trustee, conservator or guardian is not only a great way to help your community one person at a time but also brings with it great responsibility for the one who acts in this capacity and also the one who sets the trust up.
I came across this article from a newsletter that Kevin Urbatsch of Meyers Urbatsch P.C. sends out from the Academy of Special Needs Planners that emphasizes this dual need. Kevin is an attorney that specializes in setting up Special Needs Trusts and helping Trustees administer them. This is the link to the newsletter. The link to the article is at the end of their article.
http://www.specialneedsanswers.com/resources/article.asp?id=19901§ion=4
I have thought that making it mandatory to visit the beneficiary at least once a month would be a good thing to add to the trust (California requires all conservators to visit their charges at least once a month). In some cases a trust protector could serve in the oversight role (but like everything else, it too can be corrupted).
I serve the counties of El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Solano, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba, cities like Auburn, Lincoln, Rocklin, Roseville, Sacramento, Placerville, and Woodland, and Meyers Urbatsch P.C. and the Academy of Special Needs Planners.
