Conservatorships

Conservatorships are for adults who cannot take care of themselves or their finances. Filing for a conservatorship through the court allows another individual to be appointed and held as responsible for that person or their finances. When an adult has a conservatorship placed over them, they are referred to as a “conservatee”. This most often occurs when an adult suffers an accident, has a disability, or for an adult who becomes too ill or elderly to properly care for themselves and their financial responsibilities.

A conservator of the person allows another adult to be responsible for the conservatee’s physical needs, such as food, clothing, housing, medical care, personal care, and transportation.

A conservator of the person’s estate allows another adult to be responsible for and handle the conservatee’s finances. Those finances are utilized in order to completely care of the conservatee and any needs they may have. As part of their financial responsibility, the conservator must make sure the conservatee’s money is invested properly, all bills and taxes are paid, property and assets are protected, as well as maintain financial records, and provide the court with detailed, financial reports on a regular basis.

It is important to note that when someone is appointed a conservator of the person, it does not automatically make that person the conservator of the estate. In order to hold both positions, they must petition the court to be appointed as conservator of the person and the estate.