services offered with honesty, integrity and dependability

For the most part, Trusts are managed or administered outside court supervision (unlike guardianships or estate settlements) leaving the Trustee responsible for the appropriate management and administration of the Trust. Each Trust includes specific provisions that must be followed. This means that a Trustee, in addition to understanding the legal mandates within the Trust document itself, must be aware of the inherent fiduciary duties that are imposed on Trustees such as, the duty to account to the beneficiaries. In selecting a Trustee, you must be mindful of that person’s ability to remain objective, adhere to fiduciary duties, be well organized, and have the integrity needed to supervise the investment strategy, legal, tax, and interpersonal issues that arise. 

The following are a sampling of the services offered in trust administration. Whenever possible, I will work with professionals the client currently has a valued relationship with. If necessary, I will make referrals to professional specialists such as CPA's, legal counsel, financial planners, investment advisers, insurance providers and others as needed.

• -Marshal and manage assets 
• -Oversee investments analyzing risk versus return
• -Secure, value and manage personal and real property
• -Manage businesses held in trust
• -Distribute income and principal according to the plan outlined in the Trust
• -Prepare accountings
• -Prepare financial reports 
• -Oversee the tax aspects of investments and distributions, and ensure proper filing of necessary tax forms
• -Maintain detailed financial records regarding the trust assets, handle daily financial matters for beneficiaries, and pay the Settlor's bills and expenses 

Serving as a Personal Representative or Executor can be overwhelming. Many times, I have told clients that acting as a Personal Representative is much like having a full-time job. The task can be time consuming and many times a thankless task. Losing a loved one can be devastating. Now imagine adding the duties and responsibilities that come with settling an Estate. That is why it is immensely helpful to have an objective professional assist the family in administering the Estate. As a fiduciary, my job will be to manage the affairs of the Estate and relieve the grieving family from this stress.

The following are a sampling of the services offered in estate administration. 

• -Marshal and manage assets 
• -Obtain asset valuations such as appraisals
• -Liquidate assets (if necessary)
• -Prepare inventories and accountings
• -Pay bills and expenses 
• -Oversee the tax aspects of investments and distributions, and ensure proper filing of necessary tax forms
• -Maintain detailed financial records regarding the estate assets
• - Keep beneficiaries informed and up to date

A Power of Attorney can be important for many reasons. The most common use for a Power of Attorney is to name someone to act on your behalf to help pay bills and deal with your financials. A Power of Attorney is not a document to take lightly, though. As a paralegal, I would hear the attorney tell the client that the Power of Attorney was one of the most powerful documents that we could prepare. That is why it is important to have a foundation of trust and confidence when naming someone to act as your Agent in a Power of Attorney. My years of experience in the legal field have taught me that the best way to build trust is to be transparent. This means keeping detailed and accurate financial records and making those records available at any time. As a Power of Attorney, I would be mindful of the authority delegated to me and the importance of this responsibility. 

The following are a sampling of the duties required by a Power of Attorney. 

• -Pay bills
• -Make deposits
• -Bookkeeping
• -File tax returns
• -Sell assets (e.g. real estate, vehicles, etc.)
• -Consolidate or change accounts
• -Speak to other professionals on the client’s behalf
• -Sign paperwork or contracts on the client’s behalf
• -Make calls on the client’s behalf

 When an individual or a couple has no family available to help make medical decisions or no one they can rely on to make those decisions, I can help provide that service when the need arises. Duties of a health care surrogate include healthcare decisions, placement choices, or end of life decisions.