As a fiduciary-services professional, Carolyn M. Young adheres to a stringent code of ethics that governs her profession. To fiduciary-service professionals like Carolyn M. Young and her clients, these ethics are vital because of the position of care and responsibility a fiduciary assumes.
The Professional Fiduciary Association of California, of which Carolyn M. Young is a member, perhaps expresses her professional, moral code best. As such a member and fiduciary services provider, Ms. Young promises, among other things, to maintain confidentiality in the affairs of her clients, not exceed the bounds of her legally given authority, avoid conflicts of interest, manage estates prudently and maintain fiduciary records, and get professional advice when such counsel would benefit her clients. Ultimately, the ethical code applicable to Carolyn M. Young and all other fiduciary-service providers dictates that she must act as an advocate for the client’s legal and civil rights, always act in the interest of giving her clients the most independence and self-reliance possible, and make decisions that prioritize and safeguard the client’s rights before all else.
When not busy running her fiduciary-services business, Carolyn M. Young enjoys theater performances, cooking, traveling, and spending time with her grandchildren. As the loving grandmother of a child with Type 1 diabetes, she and her family are actively involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and its events. Along with charitable events she participates in with JDRF, she brings community service work into her daily job as a fiduciary-services provider.
Carolyn M. Young acts as a fiduciary to many clients, some of whom are living on depleted resources. When a client runs out of funds, she applies to have that client qualify for government benefits and continues serving as a fiduciary with no pay. After a quarter century of work as a fiduciary, she now does 15 to 20 percent of all work without pay as an act of kindness and charity.
