Annual Accounting to the Court
A conservator does not operate without oversight. Every conservator must file annual accounts with the court. These accounts follow rules adopted by the Supreme Court. They must document how the protected person's estate has been managed throughout the year.
Every conservator must account to the court for the administration of the estate annually pursuant to rules adopted by the supreme court and on termination of the protected person's minority or disability.
A.R.S. § 14-5419(A)The court can also order a physical check of the estate at any time. This gives judges the ability to verify that assets match the records. If an interested person files a petition, the court holds a hearing for review and approval of intermediate or final accounts. Notice of these hearings must go to the protected person, any guardian, and close family members.
The conservator must complete these filings within 90 days of each accounting period. Failure to file on time can result in court sanctions or removal of the conservator.
Closing the Conservatorship After Death
When a protected person passes away, the conservator must file a final account. However, the law provides an alternative path. If all of the protected person's successors agree to waive court review in writing, the conservator can file a verified closing statement instead.
Unless prohibited by order of the court, the conservator may file with the court, in lieu of a final account, a verified statement stating that the protected person has died and that the protected person's successors have all waived in writing their right to have the conservator submit to the court a final account.
A.R.S. § 14-5419(F)The closing statement must inform successors of their right to demand a court-reviewed final accounting. If they choose to waive that right, the conservatorship ends, the conservator is discharged, and any bond is released. This gives families flexibility while still protecting the right to full court review when it matters.