Newsletter 
November 2025

November marks the two-year anniversary of our Newsletter! To celebrate this milestone, we are offering a complimentary 2026 Desk Calendar. Each year, we proudly publish our annual desk calendars featuring photos of our beneficiaries for staff and the Board of Directors. These calendars serve as a daily reminder of the families and individuals our work supports. 

We are delighted to share a complimentary 2026 Desk Calendar with you. 

Click the button below, to share your mailing information, and we will ensure one is on its way. 

Thanksgiving is a time when we reflect on our good fortune. For those in our community that may not have adequate food, staff conducted a food drive. 

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving! 

As a community service project to benefit Feed More, a Richmond based non-profit, CCT Staff collected dozens of nonperishable items to support local families in need. 

With gratitude for the opportunity to serve our clients and the trust you have in us,

Joanne Marcus, MSW 
President & CEO

jmarcus@trustCCT.org
804-740-6930

The Advocate Role Explained

One of the roles that we frequently discuss at Commonwealth Community Trust is that of the advocate. But what, exactly, is an advocate? Professionals dealing with the special needs community are familiar with many different forms of specifically identified agent or helper for a person with disabilities. There are agents under powers of attorney, there are guardians and conservators, guardians ad litem, parents of minors, a whole array of different people who may be in a position to speak for someone else. Conspicuously absent from that list is the title “advocate.” 

Advocates, however, are crucial to the work that CCT does and to how our staff interacts with a beneficiary, particularly a beneficiary who has a disability that makes it difficult for him or her to communicate or understand. An advocate is simply someone identified in the Joinder Agreement or later appointed who works closely with CCT to communicate the beneficiary’s needs and general situation to us – especially in the form of payment requests. 

An advocate might be a parent, sibling, or other relative, a guardian or conservator (or agent under a power of attorney), or a case manager hired to fill that role. The advocate can also be the beneficiary him- or herself. It is very common for there to be multiple advocates – for example, someone living with a traumatic brain injury but who retains a significant degree of capacity and autonomy might benefit from having a trusted relative as a co-advocate to make sure there is someone who can let CCT know about the beneficiary’s needs if the beneficiary is not able to for any reason. 

CCT Beneficiaries

It's a more informal role than a guardian or agent under a power of attorney. The advocate does not have legal authority over the beneficiary, but they are extremely helpful in keeping lines of communication open – receiving statements to pass on to the beneficiary, sending payment requests, receipts, and backup documentation to CCT to help us in making our disbursement decisions. 

The role of advocate is really a semi-formalization of relationships that already exist – identifying, with the help of grantors and beneficiaries, people in our beneficiaries’ support networks who can help them interact with their trust sub-account at CCT and make the process of using it as seamless as possible. 

November, when the weather is cooling, is a great month to be getting close with friends and family. And at CCT, we’re grateful to the friends and family of our beneficiaries who take on the title “advocate” to help them use their trust. 

FAQ

Question: 

What if my client doesn’t have someone they are close to and trusted to be an advocate? 

Answer

The advocate is a trusted individual who has a close relationship with the beneficiary, communicates the beneficiary’s needs to us and has access to confidential information. In some cases, the grantor does not designate an advocate when establishing the trust because there is no suitable candidate for this responsibility. Occasionally, the appointed advocate cannot fulfill the role. Sometimes, challenges arise between the advocate and beneficiary, or if the advocate is a relative, it may affect their relationship. The advocate may choose to step down. There are times when CCT determines that the advocate is not reliable.

Regardless of why a client does not have an advocate, it remains essential that the beneficiary has one. CCT will engage a qualified case manager, most often a nurse or social worker, to conduct an initial evaluation and provide ongoing assistance. The case manager will communicate the beneficiary’s needs and wants to CCT, while also offering expert recommendations on how trust resources can best enhance the beneficiary’s quality of life. CCT is committed to ensuring the trust funds are for the benefit of the beneficiary.

Our Client Services Staff Who Sets Us Apart

A vital part of a beneficiary’s team is their Advocate, a person authorized to make disbursement requests and access confidential financial information on their behalf. Our staff is keenly aware of the pressure associated with acting in this capacity and take steps to nurture the CCT-Advocate partnership. From the initial welcome call with the assigned Client Services Coordinator, the groundwork is being laid for ongoing collaboration. Building a respectful and supportive relationship with an advocate allows for more open communication when probing or sensitive questions need to be asked of them or requests are denied.

Advocates have various relationships to trust beneficiaries, including parent, caregiver, guardian, sibling, spouse, friend, or the beneficiary themselves. The beneficiary-advocate relationship can be complicated for many reasons, including the loss of control an individual may feel when having another person manage their finances. Our team is sensitive to this dynamic and tries to make this arrangement as easy and pain-free for all parties as possible. 

CCT Beneficiaries

While CCT maintains the final discretion to approve or deny requests, those who have accepted the advocate designation play a crucial role not only in the disbursement request process but also in the review process. For more complex or high-dollar requests, such as purchasing a home, a local case manager is often hired to provide support and conduct face-to-face information gathering. This can be a useful adjunct service when assisting with budgeting or assessing an individual’s ability to make prudent financial decisions, including providing CCT a clearer picture of their ability to live independently or manage the obligations associated with potential home ownership.

Securing the well-being of our beneficiaries is foremost in our minds as CCT staff works closely with advocates to fulfill our responsibility as the trust administrator.

Conferences & Presentations

November

November 6-7, 2025 | Iowa Association for Justice – Annual Conference 

November 11, 2025 | The Estate Planning Council of Southeast Denver – In Person Seminar – Presentation by Ben Tiefenback, Esq. – Managing Disbursement Challenges in Trust Administration: Fiduciary Responsibilities, and Legal Considerations 

November 13, 2025 | Virginia Trial Lawyers Association – Annual Paralegal Seminar 

November 13-14, 2025 | Utah Bar Association – Fall Forum – CLE Presentation by Ben Tiefenback, Esq. - Protecting Vulnerable Plaintiffs and Combining Structured Settlements, MSAs, and Pooled Special Needs Trusts: Preserving Means-Tested Government Benefits 

November 19, 2025 | National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Idaho – Online Presentation - Presentation by Ben Tiefenback, Esq. - Pooled Special Needs Trust (PSNT) Planning – What Families Need to Know 

November 20-21, 2025 | Utah Trial Lawyers Association – Annual Conference 

November 24, 2025 | Law Practice CLE – Webinar – CLE Presentation by Ben Tiefenback, Esq. – Combining Structured Settlements, MSAs, and Pooled Special Needs Trusts: Preserving Means–Tested Government Benefits 

December

December 2, 2025 | National Academy of Continuing Legal Education – Webinar – CLE Presentation by Ben Tiefenback, Esq. - Protecting Vulnerable Plaintiffs: Special Needs Trusts, Public Benefits, and Settlement Planning 

December 16, 2025 | American Bar Association – Webinar – Presentation by Ben Tiefenback, Esq. – Evaluating Pooled Trusts 

January

January 14, 2026 | Richmond Board of Trust Administrators  - Presentation by CCT on Virginia Medicaid

January 18, 2026 | Friendship Circle of Virginia – Annual Disability Expo 

January 22, 2026 | Minnesota State Bar Association – Webinar – CLE Presentation by Ben Tiefenback, Esq. – Managing Disbursement Challenges in Trust Administration: Fiduciary Responsibilities, and Legal Considerations 

(Click the Image to Watch the Video)