Standard Fee Schedule
January 2024
Guardian Finance and Advocacy Services is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization.
We charge fees for the cost of our services and support our mission. These rates are subject to adjustment to meet contracts, regulatory requirements, or a client’s ability to pay.
Appointed Services
Conservatorship (Court Appointed):
- Base Conservator rate is $200/month, including Payee services. Assessed monthly.
- To manage real estate or investable assets over $100,000, add $140/month to the base rate. Total is $340/month. Assessed monthly.
- For Conservator/Legal Custodian joint clients, the organization will charge the VA fee of 4% or the conservator fee, whichever is greater.
- Other revenues, such as pensions, annuities, etc., are assessed at one percent (4%) of these revenues and added to the base rate, assessed annually, and collected monthly.
- Special conservator authority: $140 per hour plus $110 per month
- Non-professional fee of $50.00/hour instead of outside contractor costs.
- One-time closing fee of $600 to transfer or terminate conservator authority except where authority continues as personal representative.
Guardianship (Court Appointed):
- Temporary or Emergency authority: $75 per hour plus $90 per month
- Full Guardianship Monthly fee of $260, including Payee services.
- Costs associated with the receipt of VA income are assessed under VA Fiduciary authority.
- Fees charged to external fiduciaries: $150.00/hour plus $150 per month (or as negotiated).
- Non-professional fee of $50.00/hour instead of outside contractor costs.
- One-time closing fee of $300 to transfer or terminate the case.
Representative Payee (Social Security Appointed)
- Social Security Administration-determined rate: $54/month or 10% of Social Security benefits, whichever is lower.
- Drug and Alcohol fees are $100 monthly or 10% of Social Security benefits, whichever is lower.
VA Fiduciary (Veterans Administration Appointed)
- Veterans Administration-determined rate: a monthly fee of four percent (4%) of income.
Personal Representative (Court Appointed executor of the estate)
- $150 per hour plus a monthly fee of $65.
- For real estate management, add three percent (3%) of net proceeds from sale.
- Non-professional fee of $50.00/hour instead of outside contractor costs.
- One-time closing fee of $500 to terminate authority
- Minimum annual fee: one percent (1%) of estate managed.
Market-Based Services
Individual Trust Services
- Trustee Fees:
- Set-up fee of four percent (4%) of trust assets deposited, up to a maximum of $1,000.
- Base rate: $65 per month
- Trust Officer fee: $140.00/hour for time spent on account management.
- For real estate management, add three percent (3%) of net proceeds from sale.
- Non-professional fee of $50.00/hour instead of outside contractor costs.
- Minimum annual fee: 1% of trust assets managed.
- One-time termination fee of $500 if an account is closed or moved to another trustee.
- Upon the beneficiary's death: a one-time closing fee of six percent (6%) of any remaining trust balance, up to a maximum of $10,000.
Pooled Special Needs Trust Services
- Trustee Fees:
- Base rate is $25 per month, paid monthly.
- Trust Officer fee: $140.00/hour for time spent on account management.
- Minimum annual fee: 1% of trust assets managed.
Financial Power of Attorney
- Monthly income/expense management – four percent (4%) of income received. Including wages, pensions, annuities, tribal payments, etc.
- Other services charged at $75/hour.
Money Management
- One-on-one financial counseling, including budgeting, paperwork organizing, public benefit acquisition, credit counseling, etc.: $80/hour
Small Estate
- One-time fee of $25 per check transaction.
Other Fees
Third-Party Fees:
- Bank and investment management fees are passed through at cost.
- Attorney, accounting, or other extraordinary fees are passed through at cost.