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MyspaceI have been under conservatorship for over five years. This never should have occurred. This happened after a terrible auto accident in which my husband was killed, and I was severely injured.
A professional conservator told me that she would watch over me and pay my utility bills until I was strong again. It sounded good to me, as I didn’t even know what a conservator was. I didn’t know that I wouldn’t get my freedom back and they would take so much of my husband’s retirement money.
Recently, Judge Sterne proclaimed that I was free of the conservatorship of the person, but not of the estate. This is because some people have claimed there is undue influence against me. Many of these same people claimed I had dementia, which I had to hire my own evaluator to prove false. The former judge wouldn’t admit anything positive about me, and was a judge for the conservators.
I am told I can be free of the conservatorship if I agree to change my revocable trust to an irrevocable trust, and I let a trustee, not of my choice, control my money. This is not a good idea for a lot of reasons. The way the trust is written I’ll probably remain on meager rations for the rest of my life. You see, they never really give you your freedom back.
This letter is to warn people that this can happen to any elder who has money and property. Elders, don’t think just any trust will protect you—it doesn’t always.
Please tune in to my interview with Meet America on public access TV Channel 17, March March 20 at 12:34 a.m. and 6:34 p.m. Or go to ustream.com and type in Meet America.
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Comments
Horrible.
EZK (anonymous profile)
March 17, 2011 at 4:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hopefully this letter and your upcoming interview will bring someone forward to help you in this situation. Honest help, that is.
bajamama (anonymous profile)
March 17, 2011 at 6:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Nice quiet little industry full of vultures. Time for somebody to shake it out, hard.
rambler (anonymous profile)
March 18, 2011 at 12:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Its hard enough just finding a trustworthy ethical bank.
EZK (anonymous profile)
March 18, 2011 at 4:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There is a whole lot more to this story than what is being reported by the conservatee. I watched the video and there is a tremendous amount of misinforation being spewed by the interviewer.
Probate conservatorships are "public record" and all financial information is available to the conservatee, conservatee's relatives, and the conservatee's attorney. If any of them disagree with the conservator's handling of the estate they can object in court. There is an independent court investigator who is neutral. The court investigator is required to monitor the conservator and make recommendations to the court.
It is true that not all conservators can be trusted and the court can remove, replace, or prosecute those who aren't acting in the best interests of the conservatee.
buckwheat (anonymous profile)
March 21, 2011 at 11:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)