The Estate Concierge: Choosing the Right Fiduciary with Pam Witwer | Bodacious Estate Conversations | EP 110
Bodacious Estate Conversations | Episode 110
Featuring Pam Witwer | Executor Services Specialist | Lancaster PA Executor Services
Choosing someone to act as a fiduciary is an important part of planning for the future. A fiduciary may be responsible for managing another person’s financial affairs, helping carry out health care decisions, serving as a trustee, or handling responsibilities after a death. The role calls for trust, time, sound judgment, and a clear understanding of the person’s wishes.
In Episode 110 of Bodacious Estate Conversations, host Kasey speaks with Pam Witwer, Executor Services Specialist with Lancaster PA Executor Services. Pam describes the responsibilities she may take on for clients and shares questions families can consider when choosing someone for these roles.
What does a fiduciary do?
A fiduciary is entrusted with acting in another person’s best interests within a role established by the relevant legal documents. As Pam explains in the episode, those roles can include serving as a financial power of attorney, health care power of attorney, trustee, or executor of a will. The authority and responsibilities depend on the role and the documents involved.
Financial responsibilities can include paying bills, keeping expenses current, communicating with creditors, and helping manage funds for a client’s needs. Pam describes the importance of handling routine obligations—such as a care facility’s room and board bill—while also making room in a budget for personal spending and the things that bring someone enjoyment.
She also discusses health care decision support, trust responsibilities, and executor duties. An executor’s work may include helping settle an estate, distribute assets according to the will, and move the estate through probate. Pam says she can also consult with people named to serve in these roles, including executors who live outside Pennsylvania and need local coordination for an estate being handled there.
Consider the person’s ability to take on the role
A relative may seem like the natural choice, but family is not automatically the best fit for every situation. Existing tension can become harder to manage when the same person is also responsible for financial or health care matters. An adult child may live far away or have work and family commitments that limit the time they can give.
Pam encourages people to consider whether a potential fiduciary has the time, ability, integrity, and judgment to carry out the responsibilities. The work can involve ongoing administration and deadlines. Executor duties can also overlap with grief, which may make it difficult for a family member to manage both the loss and the practical tasks at the same time.
Some families may consider a professional fiduciary or another neutral person. A third party may be able to focus on carrying out the assigned role without the same family dynamics. The right choice depends on the individual’s circumstances and should be discussed with the professionals helping prepare the estate plan.
Talk about the appointment before it is needed
Pam emphasizes that people should tell someone if they name them in an estate planning document—and, ideally, ask whether the person is willing to serve. Being named does not mean someone has already agreed to take on the role, and the person may decline when the time comes.
That conversation is also a chance to explain what matters to you. Discussing health care preferences, end-of-life wishes, and burial or service preferences can help the person understand what they may be asked to carry out. Clear communication can prepare everyone for the responsibilities ahead.
Work with an attorney on the legal documents
Pam says she works with clients who are working with an attorney and does not provide legal advice. She notes that a power of attorney document needs to be prepared with appropriate authority for the tasks an agent may need to perform. A generic online form may not address a person’s situation or grant all the powers they intend to provide.
For questions about which fiduciary role is appropriate, what authority a document should include, or how to prepare an estate plan, consult an attorney. A fiduciary or executor services professional can explain the practical responsibilities they may be able to take on, in coordination with the client’s legal counsel.
Hear the full conversation
Listen to Pam Witwer’s conversation with Kasey in Episode 110 of Bodacious Estate Conversations:
This episode is for general educational purposes and is not legal advice. Discuss your individual circumstances and estate planning documents with an attorney.
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