Phone: 360.232.8351
Fax: 888.900.9212
info@beacontrustee.comOffice Hours:
Monday - Friday
9:00AM to 5:00PM
FEE SCHEDULE FOR FIDUCIARY SERVICES
Attorney-in-Fact and Guardianship Services. Sarah J. Pugh, CTFA, CPG #10785, is a certified professional guardian serving individuals in the State of Washington. Ms. Pugh charges $110.00 per hour for professional attorney-in-fact or guardianship services. The actual rate charged to an account varies depending upon the circumstances (i.e. complexity, amount of travel, etc.) involved. Ms. Pugh also utilizes support staff (“administrators”) who work directly under her supervision at the rate of $90.00 per hour for guardianship and/or attorney-in-fact services.
Professional Trustee Services. Sarah J. Pugh, CTFA, CPG #10785, as an individual Trustee dba Beacon Trustee Services, unlike other professional or corporate trustees, charges a rate of $125.00 per hour for her services. Ms. Pugh also utilizes support staff (“administrators”) who work directly under her supervision at the rate of $90.00 per hour.
Professional Guardian ad Litem Services. Depending upon the County in which the Guardian ad Litem services are provided, Sarah J. Pugh, CTFA, CPG #10785, may charge an hourly rate of $95, or charge a flat fee (which varies from County to County in Washington State) for Guardian ad Litem services.Professional Estate Administration Services. Sarah J. Pugh, CTFA, CPG #10785, as an individual Trustee dba Beacon Trustee Services, charges a rate of $125.00 per hour for her services as an estate administrator (i.e. personal representative, executor, et al.). Ms. Pugh also utilizes support staff (“administrators”) who work directly under her supervision at the rate of $90.00 per hour for estate administration tasks.
Forensic Accounting Services. Sarah J. Pugh, CTFA, CPG #10785, is available to provide forensic accounting services for clients who may need a third party to review and account for financial transactions and/or assets in a variety of situations. Ms. Pugh charges $125 per hour for this service.
Out of Pocket Costs. Any costs associated with the services provided above will be billed to the client/customer in addition to the fees for services referenced above. Some examples of costs include, but are not limited to, court filing fees, postage, photocopying, other court fees, and overnight mailing costs.
Professional Fees. Fees assessed by professionals in conjunction with the administration of an account (i.e. attorneys, accountants, investment advisors, insurance professionals, private investigators, property managers, contractors, etc.) are charged to individual accounts as billed.
Method of Payment. Beacon accepts payments in the form of cash, checks, and money orders. Credit card payments are accepted via Paypal only. Beacon may bill for its fees, or in some situations, receive payments directly from an account under Beacon’s management. All client billing is monitored and/or reviewed by an independent third-party bookkeeper.
Account Statements. Statements are mailed to customers on a quarterly basis, and can be mailed on a monthly basis at the express direction of the customer. Beacon’s statements will include a detailed listing of the hourly charges engendered for its fee, and the amount being billed or deducted from an account for its fees.
FIDUCIARY SERVICES STATEMENT
The following is a summary of Beacon’s philosophy on fiduciary account management:
A. No Minimum Market Value Requirement. I do not have a minimum market value requirement like many other corporate or individual fiduciaries. Thus, accounts that are valued at less than $100,000.00 are accepted.
B. No Market Value Base Fees. Beacon’s fees are not based upon the value of trust assets under management, which avoids a duplication of fees charged by investment managers. This also allows Beacon to accept smaller accounts without eroding the initial value of the trust
C. Local Administration of the Account. Beacon does not outsource its administrative services to offices, staff, or central service centers outside its office’s local area. Thus, our customers or clients who live locally receive personal service and develop direct working relationships with Beacon’s staff.
D. Utilization of Outside Investment Advisory Services. Beacon’s philosophy is to focus on the personal needs of its trust customers, while utilizing outside investment managers to provide guidance on investment portfolios.
E. Investment of Funds Based on the Needs of the Client. Beacon does not utilize or benefit from proprietary investment funds. Proprietary investment funds are funds managed by a Trust Company or one of its affiliated companies, which may create a conflict of interest in that they may motivate a trust company to promote proprietary funds rather than funds and money managers that may be the best choice for the customer.
F. Hourly Rate Structure. Beacon only charges its fees on an hourly basis to our clients/customers when attention to the account is necessary to adhere to Beacon’s fiduciary duties to its customers. This structure prevents monthly flat fees to an account when there is little or no activity.
Some examples of hourly fees engendered while administering fiduciary accounts include time opening or closing an account, managing assets (such as real estate, closely held businesses, personal property items, vehicles, etc.), time working with professionals for various tasks (i.e. accountants, real estate agents, investment advisors, attorneys, etc.), compiling tax data for required tax returns, determinations on beneficiary distribution requests, asset recovery, research, Court appearances, annual account reviews and/or reporting, travel time, services and/or tasks as requested by clients/customers, determining and valuing estate assets, ascertaining creditor claims, drafting pleadings, correspondence or other documentation, and any other tasks required of me by the Court or necessary to adhere to Beacon’s fiduciary duties.G. Direct Supervision of Support Staff at Lower Hourly Rates. Sarah J. Pugh, CTFA, CPG #10785, also utilizes account administrators, who work under her direct supervision and bill at a lower rate of $90.00 per hour. This fee structure will likely reduce fees to our customers over time depending on the complexity of the issues involved.
For more information on Beacon’s fees and services, or contact me via telephone at (360) 232-8351 or via e-mail at sarah@beacontrustee.com.