Tale as Old As Time [Finished]

[yamikuronue]

"Um, well, after the accountant got mad at us the first year we had to file taxes, I tried keeping better track. I've got composition notebooks for the older stuff...." Siegfried, Obsidian might remember, was thirteen when Obsidian went to jail.

[accalia]

Echo stays silent but does take the books from Siegfried and places them on the table ready for inspection.

[CalamityJade]

Obsidian shakes his head. "Damn, Sig, this...is a lot better than I thought i'd be. Figured we have to dig through old notes or just try and estimate from something."

[yamikuronue]

Siegfried shakes his head. "However, I really don't know what to do with the investment accounts; they're set to roll any distributions back into the plan, but I'm not at all sure that's the wisest idea, or that the plans don't need to be re-vested. The other properties are rented so they cover their own taxes and maintenance, but any additional funds are being earmarked for larger repairs, so we don't see any of that. As I said, the only account that makes income for the household right now is the Young Master's trust, which he elected to keep as it was upon reaching his eighteenth birthday."

Lance scowls, looking out the window. He barely remembers making that decision, but he'd not have argued too hard.

[CalamityJade]

"Well, shit...if those things are a decade old, then they'd need to be looked at." Obsidian was NOT the businessman of the family, but considering the amount of work that had to be put in, there had to be a lot of work going into making money from it. "So, you've been balancing books and keeping things going...so how do we actually get out of this hole. There was one guy...that I remember would come by, look at a bunch of older books and spend about a day coming up with ways to use the money. Guessing he's probably not still around, huh?"

[yamikuronue]

Siegfried shrugs. "I kept the same accountant, but we only pay him to do the taxes once a year based on my records. It seemed more economical. Mayhap he can advise us on how we should go about funding restoration?"

[accalia]

"It way be presumptuous of this one to say so, but this one does know an investment broker of some repute who may be able to assist in such matters."

Echo has moved somewhat away from the table.

"This one had provided Siegfried with her number recently..."

[yamikuronue]

Siegfried nods. "I could call both parties and invite them to sit down with us and figure out a plan?"

[CalamityJade]

Obsidian pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sure, call them both. Might as well get everything going at once." Seriously, even if the kid had a point, this was NOT his sort of dance. He could fight, and had some knowledge of things people were better off ignoring, but damned if he could handle money. His idea of an 'investment' was finding stuff so that the next time you go out to make money came along, you kept all the important organs safe.

[yamikuronue]

Lance scowls. "Yeah, why not. Call professionals. Can I go back upstairs now?"

[CalamityJade]

"No, we're getting the first floor aired out, and even IF you find a way to give me this place, you still live here. And till we can pay people to do it, you're gonna help."

[accalia]

"This one will then place a call to one's investment broker. With luck she will be available soon."

Echo backs out of the room to find a telephone and make a call.

[yamikuronue]

Siegfried rubs his head. "I shall resume cleaning...."

[yamikuronue]

That afternoon, the binders are spread open on the table as Siegfried shows both financial professionals into the dining room. To make things simple, Siegfried has picked up both of them with the pickup truck, so they don't have to arrange transportation -- and to get him away from Lance's brooding anger for a few minutes. Lamentably, he can't find a reason to drag Echo along...

[CalamityJade]

The accountant scratched his nose slightly as the ride continued. He was a bespectacled man of average height, with a somewhat slim build. He was dressed in a button-down work shirt and slacks. He did have a strikingly bright red tie that matched the stone on a ring on his left hand. "I have to admit, I was surprised when you called. It seemed a few months early."