Gratitude Monday: help a sister out

I spent Wednesday through Friday last week in Arizona, because issues had arisen around my sister’s fiduciary. Since she went into an assisted living facility late last year, we’ve been kind of unlucky with the people entrusted to manage her money.

The first one might have been okay, but he came as a package with his wife, who decidedly was not. We had high hopes for the second one, but he and his minions have sadly not worked out. I would ascribe the problems to lack of transparency, coupled with really poor communication. And, tbh, my sister’s hearing loss means that trying to talk with her via her mobile phone means she comprehends about 35% of what you say, on a good call. But whatever—her medical power of attorney friends had hit a wall and here we are.

So I printed out months of fiduciary and bank statements and spent Wednesday flying to Phoenix and then driving to Cottonwood (with a stop at one of the groadiest McDonalds on the face of the planet, so I could get on a conference call). I have to say that finances are not my thing—I stopped balancing a checkbook in the 1980s, and even just looking at balance sheets spikes my heart rate. But my sister needed me, so I did my best.

I spoke at length with her, sat in on her conversation with a prospective new fiduciary, talked with her lawyer, and then backed my sister in her chat with the soon-to-be-ex fiduciary, as she told him she likes the new one, and will transfer to that woman’s service.

I held my tongue (a gargantuan effort, if you know me) with this guy—except to ask him, “Tell me about the NSF check.” (Yes, he wrote a check on my sister’s account—to pay one of his invoices—without sufficient funds to cover it. In June. And has not as yet refunded the $35 service charge. If you’re looking for a fiduciary in Northern Arizona, I know whom to steer you away from.) He professed himself astonished to find that he’d done that (even though he moved money from her trust account to cover it the day after; either he writes them so often he couldn’t recall this particular one, or he was lying).

Well, anyway, the situation is resolved, and my sister is going to be looked after by someone who will make the full effort to communicate. (And my sister is going to make the effort to stand up for herself.)

And I am massively relieved, and immensely grateful that her MPOAs have been doing such an amazing job in advocating for her. And I’m grateful I was able to go out there and do my part. It's her birthday today, and I am deeply grateful for having her in my life.

Also—I got to see some northern Arizona dawns, and look at these clouds.