Estates
and Trusts
Is
By Their Side the "missing link" in
your estate plan?
Many
parents delay estate planning until
they figure out how their trustee--
bank, attorney, or out of state
relative--will learn about the
financial needs or desires of their son
or daughter. By Their Side provides
update reports to siblings and
Trustees. Advocates serve as local
"eyes and ears", visiting and talking
with your relative and his or her staff
to help identify individual needs and
life enrichment opportunities.
By
Their Side does not serve as trustee,
but works closely with those who do.
An Open
Letter to Estate Planning
Professionals
January 18, 2019
Dear Fellow Estate Planning and
Elder Law Attorneys:
As estate planning and elder law
attorneys, not only do we look to
provide our clients with the best plan
for their family, but also look for
opportunities to educate and inform
clients of additional ways to ensure
the success of their plan for a special
needs beneficiary.
I am a member of the Board of
Directors for the Maryland non-profit
organization By Their Side, Inc
(formerly known as “Maryland Trust
for Retarded Citizens” or “MTRC.)
Since being formed in 1965 by parents
and despite having grown to 450
members, I believe that By Their Side
remains a largely unrecognized name
among estate, special needs and
long-term care planning attorneys. I am
convinced that By Their Side's
professional advocacy services are
invaluable to parents concerned with
the oversight and care their relative
will receive after they are gone, and
would like to bring this organization
to your attention.
What is
By Their Side?
By Their Side provides advocacy
services to Marylanders with
intellectual and developmental
disabilities and their families, as
arranged and funded by families. In
short, when the parents are unable to
continue as advocate, By Their Side can
provide the lifetime advocacy and
oversight needed to ensure their
relative receives necessary services,
health and safety needs are addressed,
and opportunities for life enrichment
continue.
This mission is accomplished through
visits with the individual at the
frequency determined by the family,
advocating at team meetings, and
addressing identified concerns. By
Their Side monitors care, coordinates
with trustees and advisors to make
appropriate recommendations for needed
expenditure of trust funds, provides
updates to family and other
fiduciaries, and offers direction when
requested. Some parents involve By
Their Side for short-term help to
resolve a problem, or begin services
early to assure a smooth transition.
How can
By Their Side help your
clients?
Many parents delay planning because
they are uncertain who will provide the
specialized oversight required by their
relative with a disability. It requires
great skill and persistence, acquired
over years of dealing with agencies and
the service delivery system, to
effectively advocate and to implement
the services and changes their child
may need over time. By Their Side's
experienced advocates provide
assessment visits and monitoring at the
frequency funded by the family or
Trust.
By Their Side is family-funded and,
therefore, is not subject to the
changing priorities of State-funded
advocacy services.
By Their Side does not need to be
specifically identified in your clients
estate planning documents. Services are
often funded by parents during their
lifetime or by trusts established for
the benefit of a disabled relative.
By Their Side does not serve as
guardian or trustee, but rather
supports those fiduciaries by
overseeing the coordination of involved
service providers, both public and
private.
What am
I asking you to do?
Many families are not aware of By
Their Side services. Simply informing
your clients that there is an
organization dedicated to helping with
future advocacy needs can empower your
clients to determine if By Their Side
answers a need for their family.
For more information, contact Kathy
Vecchioni, Executive Director, at
443-279-1234 or
info@bytheirside.org.
Sincerely yours,
Paula M. Mattson-Sarli, Esq.
Director 2016-2019
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