Chapter 24 - THE DIVORCE AND THE TRUST
Divorce after criminal court felt administrative.
Our assets were ordinary.
Savings.
Cars.
Retirement.
Debt.
The trust was not marital property.
It belonged to Emma and Lily under independent management.
Daniel’s fraud did not give me ownership.
His conviction did not give me their money either.
Samuel Grant helped restructure administration.
No family caregiver could receive recurring payments without:
Documented services.
Independent review.
Annual conflict certification.
Direct verification.
I remained family representative with a professional co-fiduciary.
I could request.
Not approve my own benefit.
That limitation comforted me.
The trust later recovered $146,000 from improper distributions and insurance settlements.
Not every dollar.
Enough.
Emma once asked:
“Are we rich?”
She was nine.
I answered:
“You have money protected for your future.”
“Can I buy a horse?”
“No.”
May you like
“So not rich.”
Fair.
