After reading last month's News-Democrat stories about problems with guardianship of impaired adults accountant Charles Fike decided to intervene.
Fike: "What concerned me is the lack of accountings, the lack of showing where the money's going."
He told Judge Stephen Rice, who oversees probate court in the county, that he'd like to get into the guardianship business. He has visited with health care providers, such as Memorial Hospital in Belleville, to let them know they can turn to him when trying to find a guardian for a patient.
Since last week, he has been appointed as guardian for three people.
"I see the need for this, and I believe I can do it," Fike added that he thinks his more than two decades of experience as an accountant and his responsibility in caring for his parents provides the perfect background for this type of work.
Full Article and Source:
Belleville accountant offers to be guardian for impaired adults
Fike: "What concerned me is the lack of accountings, the lack of showing where the money's going."
He told Judge Stephen Rice, who oversees probate court in the county, that he'd like to get into the guardianship business. He has visited with health care providers, such as Memorial Hospital in Belleville, to let them know they can turn to him when trying to find a guardian for a patient.
Since last week, he has been appointed as guardian for three people.
"I see the need for this, and I believe I can do it," Fike added that he thinks his more than two decades of experience as an accountant and his responsibility in caring for his parents provides the perfect background for this type of work.
Full Article and Source:
Belleville accountant offers to be guardian for impaired adults
This article really fired me up. The article stated Sharon Mehrtens hasn't filed accountings on some of her wards for a long, long time.
ReplyDeleteThat's an embarrassment to the court.
After stating that, however, a quote was given by Sharon Mehrtens that more guardians are needed.
She should not be afforded an ounce of respect.
The article didn't say what his charges would be......
ReplyDeleteI hope that he has high ideals and wants to help and deserve his returns.
Without oversight, there is no guarantee.
Anon 1: The court isn't embarrassed, they are enablers letting the guardians be the power players, running the show.
ReplyDeleteWhy is the court letting this happen?
There are reasons that mandatory filings are being ignored, case after case; this must be investigated.
Could campaign contributions to judges have anything to do with the court extending more than courtesies to the agents of the court?
Sharon Mehrtens: where are the proceeds from sale of properties?
Where is the money and how was it spent?
Here's the thing about accountants -- (not all) -- they can add the columns to make sure everything adds up.
ReplyDeleteBut they can't spot unnecessary charges and fee churning because they don't know the case.
Family must always be involved in accountings.
Anonymous3, I think you're right on point --- campaign contributions buy a great many favors.
ReplyDeleteEvery case Sharon Mehrtens has or has had must be reviewed -- followed by reviewing all the cases of the presiding judge who lets her get by.
His intentions seem to be for the best interst of guardianship wards.
ReplyDeleteBut, he will soon be making a lot of money. Let's see if that taints him.
Last Anonymous - I was thinking the same thing: Hope he stays straight!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if this person knows anyone from here in Denton Tx. where the guardian of the estate of my father-in-law was the JUDGES PERSONAL CPA/personal friend. All the accountings on our case were looked at by a reputable out of town Accountant, and he said that he could not make heads or tails of the "chicken scratch" written as the accounts of my in-laws,
ReplyDeleteLay you money these judges are making their own personal accountants guardians of estates, mostly I have been told that CPAs are not guardians of the person, at least here they aren't, they are only guardians of ESTATES. And why not they are great with numbers and making them look good to someone who is not an accountant. They know how to hide money.