As an experienced legal professional, Roanoke attorney Rick Derrico will usually tell you that carrying out your final wishes through an estate plan is best handled by a close family member or friend. This individual is typically someone who knows you well and how you would want certain affairs managed after passing away. However, sometimes this is not an available option for everyone and in these cases, it may be beneficial to consider a reliable family lawyer with whom you have built a strong rapport over the years to act on your behalf.
For example, when a woman, who had been a long-standing client of Rick Derrico came to Copenhaver, Ellett & Derrico to discuss options for her adult son’s long-term care, he was happy to help.While her son was highly functioning, a psychological condition prevented him from working, though he could live independently. Understandably, she wanted to ensure that he would be properly looked after when she was gone. At the time, this woman’s considerable assets were being managed by a bank acting as the fiduciary, but it was important that her son’s future affairs be handled by a familiar face, not an anonymous bank employee. So, in accordance with her wishes, attorney Derrico established a new Trust, where he was named as trustee for the man’s financial well-being.
Attorney Derrico did not take this responsibility lightly and after the woman passed, he made it a strong point to be accessible, whenever necessary. This included paying any recurring bills on his new client’s behalf and managing several household affairs. From office visits about financial matters to changing the occasional light bulb, attorney Derrico worked earnestly to meet his fiduciary responsibilities in addition to the personal commitment he made to his mother. Through executing these duties, attorney Derrico developed a close relationship with the man and by choosing a dedicated attorney, his family can rest assured their estate and most importantly their son are properly looked after.
The outcome of an individual case depends on a variety of factors unique to that case. Case results do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any similar or future case.