Do I need a Professional Fiduciary?

There are many situations when the use of a Professional is the best option. You may only need one area of assistance to remain independent. Call if you have questions, we will provide as little intervention as possible. If we are not appropriate we may suggest others who would be better suited for you situation.

A few are listed below:

• You have trouble take care of your daily needs
• Daily needs are dressing, bathing, cooking, toileting, and shopping
• You need help managing our household and your "stuff" just keeps accumulating
• You can't get your doctors appointments or you have been missing them
• You find yourself suddenly in the hospital and you may have to stay sometime
• You have lost a spouse or family member who was your caregiver
• You have trouble seeing your bills, checkbook, or financial statements
• You have trouble writing due to your vision or physical ailment such as arthritis
• You are paying your bills late
• You are paying late fees on your bank account or credit card
• You are overdrawing your accounts
• You have trouble finding your paperwork
• You may suffer from Alzheimer's, dementia or a brain disorder
• You do not have any family or friends you may trust to handle your affairs
• You think someone may be taking money from your accounts
• You think you might have signed some checks and you don't remember...
• You have second thoughts about who you choose as your Trustee or Executor

For family members reading this section it is not intended as any disrespect for the family relationship, which should be cherished. However, sometimes it is not ideal and often family members can not come to a common agreement for the care of mom or dad or a disabled sibling. This is a prime time when choosing a professional makes the best sense. It allows the family to be a family and not a caretaker or have to make difficult life personal and financial decisions.

• You don't want your family involved in your finances
• You worry that your family can not agree on the best plan for your care
• You have a difficult time saying no to your family even when you don't feel comfortable with their actions
• You worry your family may not be thinking of you first
• Your family can not get along and you feel caught in the middle
• You want to keep the peace

Families should know that all these responsibilities to care for an elder or disabled member of your family is a much bigger job and will demand much more of your time than you think. It is more challenging for them as they don't have the training or practice to handle more difficult situations. They may face conflict or indifference in dealing with other family members and not be able to keep mom or dads best interests in the for-front.

At Simon Associates we have guided and consulted many family members through their role as Trustee or Executor. Over seventy-five percent say they will never do it again!

What can a Professional Fiduciary do Different than a Family member?

Often family elders will choose someone within the family to act on their behalf in matters of Finance and Health Care. They do this to "not hurt" their children's feelings, or to save money. They might appoint all their children act together so not the hurt anyone’s feelings or choose the oldest simply due to age.

Often the family dynamics is such that not everyone has the same agenda or gets along. Some family members live far away and some do all the work. Some have good knowledge in finances and may or may not be frugal. Many times family members have a difficult time putting the needs and choices of their elder family member who appointed them before what they think should be done. All these situations can create family conflict.

At Simon Associates we can keep the family peace and relieve the worry of lack of time for those family members juggling too much. We may be less costly in the long run by keeping family peace, not conflicting with family busy schedules, and knowing how to do the tasks the first time around.

• We can act objectively and not react emotionally to the situation presented
• We have years of practice and are more efficient because we have done the task over and over again
• We have seen so many different situations over time we have gained the experience to deal with the most complex of situations and family dynamics
• We are licensed by the CA Fiduciary Bureau
• We have practiced in our local Courts for over 26 years
• We follow a Code of Ethics issued by our Fiduciary Association
• We are required to take continuing education and go to seminars to keep our skills current
• We remain a neutral party in dealing with family conflicts
• We will not inherit from you so we remain avoid any conflict of interest
• We will support and guide you through the evitable changes of your life, and we will do so with your 100% interest in the forefront of our objectives
• We can be your voice of reason
• We can create a common agenda for your health and well-being
• We can bridge any conflicts with your family and help protect you from the stress
• We can advocate for your whatever your needs
• We can ensure you do not die alone
• We can find ways to give you choice
• We can think outside the box and find solutions that work for you!
• We can be your objective listener
• We can be your back-up brain...