1. MARINCOUNTY
OFFICE OF THE
PUBLIC GUARDIAN
NOW IS THE TIME TO PLAN FOR YOUR
FUTURE!
CONSERVATORSHIP
SHOULD BE A LAST
RESORT
You can use several legal
planning tools to help you
avoid conservatorship
We don’t like to believe that we-or
Marin County Office
someone we care about-will become
of the Public incapable of making health, personal or
Guardian financial decisions of illness or
disability.” (AARP)
10 N. San Pedro Rd, Ste, 1009
San Rafael, CA 94941
Phone: 415.473.6186
Fax: 415.473.4156
www.co.marin.ca.us
Division of Aging and Adult Services

2. AVOID COURT APPOINTED CONSERVATORSHIP AN OUNCE OF
BE PROACTIVE NOW! PREVENTION
IF…SOMETHING UNEXPECTED
HAPPENS, (Your are suddenly ill or injured
Do some ADVANCE PLANNING:
and cannot manage your finances),
• Identify someone in your life who
AND…your haven’t done any ADVANCE
you trust to help you manage your
PLANNING to authorize someone you trust
money and property, if you need
to help you manage your money and
help or are unable to handle
property,
things yourself, (if you don’t have
friends or family who are willing to THEN…a judge may order a
help, talk to an attorney or CONSERVATORSHIP, (which means
California licensed professional someone else will be authorized to handle
Court appointed conservatorship fiduciary). your affairs for you).
should be a last resort. When a
• Authorize your selected “trusted
conservator is appointed, people lose PROTECT YOURSELF!
person” to handle things for you
rights to make basic decisions about
by appointing them as your Agent __________________________________
their life and property. under a General Durable Power
of Attorney for Finances or as Additional Resources:
• CONSERVATORSHIPS ARE EXPENSIVE!
You are required by law to pay fees to your successor trustee in a trust, California Private Fiduciaries Association
attorneys, the courts and other professionals (until you need them, they don’t
415-866-886-7322886-
to manage your finances for you. necessarily have any powers).
Legal Aid of Marin 415-492-0230
• YOU LOSE SOME CONTROL. Even though • Find someone who can help you
a conservator will try hard to understand and make medical and healthcare Social Security Representative Payee
carry out your wishes, they are authorized to decisions, by appointing them as Program 1-800-772-1213
make all financial decisions for you, some your healthcare agent, by
preparing an Advanced Jewish Family and Children’s Services:
healthcare decisions and sometimes will
Healthcare Directive. 415-449-3721
even decide where you will live.
. Lawyer Referral Services: 415-499-1813
• YOU LOSE SOME PRIVACY. All of the
private information about your money and
property is supervised by the court when
there is a court appointed conservator of the
estate. Even though the court tries to keep
your private financial matters private, there
are many people who can see it.