Adult Conservatorship

Financial Protection When Adults Cannot Manage Assets

An adult who cannot manage financial affairs due to cognitive decline, developmental disability, or other incapacity may need someone appointed by the court to protect assets and handle expenditures. Mastanduno Law Group represents families in Portland seeking conservatorship when a parent with dementia can no longer pay bills, an adult child with developmental disabilities inherits money that requires court-supervised management, or a vulnerable adult faces financial exploitation. Conservatorship establishes legal authority to manage the protected person's financial affairs under court supervision, and the process requires demonstrating that Oregon's statutory criteria are met.


Conservatorship focuses specifically on financial matters, while guardianship addresses personal care and healthcare decisions, and some situations require both proceedings if the adult lacks capacity in both areas. The conservator assumes responsibilities involving asset management, record-keeping, expenditure decisions, and regular reporting to the court, and Oregon law imposes specific duties that conservators must fulfill to protect the vulnerable adult's financial interests.

How Conservators Manage and Account for Assets

Once appointed, the conservator takes control of the protected person's financial accounts, property, and assets within the scope of the court's order. You prepare an inventory documenting all assets, handle bill payments and necessary expenditures, maintain detailed records of every financial transaction, and file periodic accountings with the court that show how funds were spent. Oregon requires conservators to manage assets prudently, avoid conflicts of interest, and prioritize the protected person's needs when making financial decisions.


After conservatorship is in place, financial institutions will recognize your legal authority to access accounts and manage assets, creditors will accept your payment on the protected person's behalf, and necessary expenditures for housing, healthcare, and daily needs can be made without the protected person's direct involvement. The court reviews your accountings to verify that funds are being managed appropriately and that the protected person's assets are being preserved and used for their benefit.


Conservatorship carries significant responsibilities and court oversight, and failure to maintain accurate records or to file required accountings can result in removal or other consequences. Families throughout Portland often underestimate the administrative burden involved, and understanding the duties before accepting appointment helps ensure you can fulfill the role properly.

Common Questions About Financial Protection Proceedings

Portland-area families navigating conservatorship for a vulnerable adult typically have questions about the process, the conservator's authority, and how the court supervises financial management.

  • How does conservatorship differ from guardianship in Oregon?

    Conservatorship grants authority to manage financial affairs and assets, while guardianship provides authority over personal care decisions, healthcare, and living arrangements, and depending on the protected person's needs, the court may appoint one or both.

  • What financial duties does a conservator assume?

    Conservators manage bank accounts, pay bills, handle investments within court-approved parameters, maintain detailed records of all transactions, prepare inventories of assets, and file periodic accountings with the court documenting income, expenditures, and the current value of assets under management.

  • When is conservatorship necessary instead of a power of attorney?

    Conservatorship becomes necessary when no valid power of attorney exists or when the existing document is inadequate, and Oregon courts require evidence that the adult meets the statutory criteria for incapacity and that less restrictive alternatives are not sufficient to protect their financial interests.

  • Can conservatorship be avoided if planning is done earlier?

    Adults who execute durable powers of attorney while they have capacity can designate someone to manage financial affairs without court involvement, which avoids the cost and ongoing supervision of conservatorship, though powers of attorney are not always accepted or appropriate depending on the circumstances.

  • What happens if a conservator mismanages funds?

    Oregon law holds conservators accountable for breaches of duty, and the court can remove a conservator, require restitution for financial losses caused by mismanagement, and impose other remedies if accountings reveal improper expenditures or failures to preserve assets.

Conservatorship involves court supervision and significant responsibilities that continue throughout the protected person's incapacity. Mastanduno Law Group helps Portland families understand the legal requirements and determine whether conservatorship is the appropriate tool for protecting a vulnerable adult's financial affairs.