What happens when you’re older and alone – with no one you trust to be there in your time of need? If you never had children, or are estranged from them, this is a huge issue. Your friends are aging along with you. Your only relative, a niece, lives thousands of miles away. Your “estate” isn’t large enough to attract the attention of a bank.

Your neighbor might call 911, and take in your mail. But who would pay your bills? Who would advocate for your care in the hospital? Who would deal with Medicare and insurance billing? Who would come to take care of your dog?

Reality sets in. You can’t make an estate plan, a financial plan, or a care plan without someone you trust to not only create the plan, but be empowered to step in to handle all those details at the uncertain time in the future, when you may be most in need.

That’s where Colleen Ceh Becvar steps in. She is your trusted trustee – a service that is offered by a select few bonded and professional companies. Colleen started her company, Trinity Advocacy Group, ten years ago – inspired by the need for care she saw in her own family. She watched the issue in her own family as a young girl. Then, as an adult, she worked for a law firm that did estate planning. There, even after a will or trust was created, she noticed how many people needed help paying their bills, dealing with medical issues, and serving as a trustee.

Colleen created her company to serve as a “surrogate family” – working for the client, and only on behalf of the client. She works on an hourly basis – and charges fees only when the firm is actually working for the client. Once the firm is engaged, there is no ongoing annual fee. And the hourly fee ranging from $135-$185 doesn’t start until the need for help arises, and Colleen and her staff are called to act.

Trinity Advocacy Group Fiduciary Services
What’s Involved in engaging Trinity’s fiduciary Services? The first step is a conversation – a free, 30-minute call that explains the process. Many of these calls start with referrals from elder law attorneys, accountants, or financial advisors. The discussion revolves around what the service covers, the fee schedule, and an understanding of how and when the need might arise.

The client’s attorney will then input Trinity (Colleen) into the estate planning documents – naming Trinity as trustee or executor for a will, living trust, or power of attorney for healthcare or business . Accepting that responsibility requires only a deposit to cover the process.

While immediate organization is required to set up this relationship, there may not be a need for action for many years — until the client needs assistance for anything from paying their bills to choosing assisted living or even managing medical care.

Getting Started
The process of getting prepared for future needs is intensive. There are three stages of this fiduciary engagement, which springs into action when they are notified of client need:

1. Secure the assets. Whether it’s a house and the locks need changing, or the electric bills need paying, Trinity will make sure the client is secure. They have made sure that they are the named successor financial decision maker on the account if the owner is incapacitated. While the client is alive, the power of attorney authority governs. At death, that authority is passed to the executor of a will or the successor trustee of a RLT takes over. Trinity is named in any or all of these roles, specifically empowering Colleen Ceh Becvar to act.
2. Pay expenses. Whether it’s monthly bill payments, or larger items like income or property taxes which occur annually, Trinity will make sure that everything is current. And they will handle payment of valid debts, making sure there are no fraudulent expenses are charged by a family member or neighbor.
3. Make distributions. Eventually, after death they will handle distributions of your estate to the appropriate people and charities. And they fight off claims from anyone not clearly designated as a beneficiary.

Beyond Money — Healthcare
An even more critical function of this relationship is the Care Management side of the arrangement.
That often starts with a crisis. Says Ceh Becvar: “It may not happen for years after becoming a client, but a health event triggers our participation.” So, it’s important to list Trinity as the “person” to call in case of this kind of emergency.

At that point, Trinity rushes to the bedside either at the hospital or at home, physically going to see the client to verify their condition. Since the healthcare power of attorney has been signed, they make sure the client’s wishes are followed
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They will create, implement, and supervise a plan of care, pay for it, and make sure the client gets the appropriate treatment. It’s an ongoing process, She notes: “We are going to advocate for the client every step of the way.” As Colleen describes the services they offer, it sounds just like what you’d hope to have from a trusted adult son or daughter.

Finding Trusted Advocates
You want your advocate to be professional, bonded when required and highly recommended. And nearby – so they can perform all of those tasks. Trinity Advocacy Group is headquartered in Chicago’s suburbs, and you can schedule an initial call on their website: www.TrinityAdvocacyGroup.com.
But if you are reading this column in other parts of the country, the place to start locate a trust professional can happen with a simple zip code search at any one of these reputable organizations:
 Aging Life Care Association
 National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
 Association of Daily Money Managers

Yes, money can buy attention and loyalty, but most of all – peace of mind. And that’s The Savage Truth.