Special Needs Trust I: Dear SNT Trustee

Dear Trustee:

I am looking at a work of art that is priced over $7,000, considerably over my credit card limit.


How would you like to be consulted?   by Skype?  email?  phone?


What are your criteria for approving purchases of art work?


(1) Whether you like it


(2) Whether you absolutely love it.  You give full approval to the art work you love.  All I do is present six pieces of art work and then you chose which one to approve.


(3) Whether we both like it



(4) Flip a coin, depending on whether you're in a good or bad mood


(5) Compare it to any of the pieces of furniture you bought for $55,000 when you received your inheritance


(6) Whether I like


(7) Disapproval.  You disapprove of buying artwork, in principle, as you would like me to buy poster instead.  Genuine art work in your view is not necessary for ne,


(8) You need to be flown to the city where the art work is located to see for yourself, at the expense of the trust, before you can give trustee approval.  "It REALLY has to knock my socks off."  And then you require that I open my apartment up and so that you can visit and make sure that there is enough room and so you can "help" me decide where to hang it."   You don't really like to micro-manage as you're a very busy person.  I should be grateful that I have a sister who will go to such lengths to do these things like this "for" him, even when not asked to!   You are upset that the benefactor is not grateful for your "help."  Such ingratitude leads to the next months' balance paid 10 days late.


(9) Whether it would look good in your living room if I die before you do.


(10) Whether your boyfriend likes it


(11) Whether it has any nudity in it or not.  You disapprove of nudity.


(12) Whether it is contemporary (abstract) art.   You don't like contemporary art.   You prefer 19th century.  You would be happy with my buying an oil painting, smallish.  You wouldn't be comfortable with anything really dark or that had religious themes.  They'd be bad for me.  And dark oils are so gloomy.  You like miniature portraits with slabs of pink in them.  You could get really excited if I bought something like that.  You don't want to influence my disbursements but, on the other hand, legally you don't have to approve of $20 worth of U.S. postage stamps, right?  


Thank you for your wisdom and kind attention,

(name withheld for reasons of privacy)