What’s in a name?

Supervising all aspects of the trust and at all times acting in the beneficiary’s best interests;

Offering a line of defense against undue influence from existing friends or family, outside caregivers, and new friends who may suddenly appear once a trust is funded;

Abiding by the terms of the trust and reviewing each distribution against a standard of “reasonableness”;

Taking custody of cash, maintaining transactional records for receipts and disbursements, preparing tax letters and tax returns for the trust, issuing account statements and providing accountings as required by the court as well as other outside authorities;

Monitoring and reviewing the performance of the investment manager and making changes that are in the best interests of the beneficiary;

Coordinating the payment of bills and expenses, and taking charge to follow through on implementing many of the services outlined in a care plan for the beneficiary;

Maintaining relationships with other service providers in an effort to contain costs, including public benefit agencies and medical cost containment companies;

Determining if it is necessary to purchase a vehicle or house and identifying the specific needs as well as coordinating the purchase;

Coordinating payroll for caregivers recommended by a case manager, if such services are not provided by a private agency or Medicaid; and

Supporting the implementation of recommendations made by a case manager to enable the beneficiary to receive the highest quality of care.