Making Decisions For Someone Else
Making Decisions For Someone Else
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Sometimes family members, friends, or professionals must step in to help with personal, healthcare, or financial decisions. The resources on this page provide information about obtaining decision-making authority and guidance about how to appropriately exercise this authority on behalf of someone else. Se also Planning for Diminished Capacity.
Click on the v-shaped arrow to the right of each program description to view more information.
This ABA commission provides free information about guardianship/conservatorship, supported decisionmaking, healthcare decisionmaking, and other elder law topics for legal professionals, policymakers, and the general public.
Cost: no cost
Who Is Eligible: anyone
Phone: (202) 662-8690
Email: aging@americanbar.org
Website: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/law_aging/resources/
This webpage offers information about conservatorship in California, including a Handbook for Conservators.
Cost: no cost
Who Is Eligible: anyone
Website: https://www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp-conservatorship.htm?rdeLocaleAttr=en
This non-profit organization helps low-income clients with a variety of legal issues, including completing estate and incapacity planning documents and conservatorship.
Cost: no cost
Who Is Eligible: low income residents of the Sacramento region
Address: 1860 Howe Avenue, Suite 130, Sacramento, CA 95825
Phone: (916) 551-2106
Email: can send message through Contact Us page on website
Website: https://capitalprobono.org/
This federal agency provides consumer guides for different types of financial decisionmakers, including guardians/conservators, trustees, government fiduciaries, and attorneys-in-fact appointed in a durable power of attorney.
Cost: no cost
Who Is Eligible: anyone
Address: 1700 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20552
Phone: (855) 411-2372
Email: CFPB_OlderAmericans@cfpb.gov
Website: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/managing-someone-elses-money/
This state agency licenses and regulates non-family professional fiduciaries, including conservators, trustees, and agents under durable powers of attorney. They also handle complaints filed against professional fiduciaries.
Cost: no cost
Who Is Eligible: anyone can access information and file a complaint; must meet additional requirements to become a licensed professional fiduciary
Address: 1625 N. Market Blvd., Ste. S-209, Sacramento, CA 95834
Phone: (916) 574-7340
Email: fiduciary@dca.ca.gov
Website: https://www.fiduciary.ca.gov/
This program provides free legal information and assistance for older adults regardless of income.
Cost: no cost
Who Is Eligible: must live in the service area (includes Sacramento County) and be at least 60 years old
Address: 515 12th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (800) 222-1753 or (916) 551-2150
Email: lsnc.slh@lsnc.net
Website: https://lsnc.net/sites/default/files/inline-images/Redesigned%20Senior%20Handout%20(5).png
Law students work under the supervision of licensed attorneys to provide health and elder legal services.
Cost: no cost
Who Is Eligible: contact program for eligibility requirements
Address: 2925 34th St., Sacramento, CA 95817
Phone: (916) 340.6080
Email: clsmcg@pacific.edu
Website: https://law.pacific.edu/law/legal-clinics/elder-and-health-law-clinic
Although focused on professional conservators and guardians, this association provides information and training materials useful to family conservators and fiduciaries as well. They also establish standards and provide a searchable database of professional conservators, guardians, and fiduciaries.
Cost: no cost for information, some benefits only available to paying members
Who Is Eligible: anyone may access information or apply for membership
Address: 174 Crestview Drive, Bellefonte, PA 16823
Phone: (877) 326-5992
Email: info@guardianship.org
Website: https://www.guardianship.org/
This webpage provides guidance and advice for those faced with making health care decisions for another person at the end of life.
Cost: no cost
Who Is Eligible: anyone
Address: National Institute on Aging, Building 31, Room 5C27, 31 Center Drive, MSC 2292, Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: (800) 222-2225
Email: can send message through Contact NIA page on website
Website: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/making-decisions-someone-end-life
This webpage provides information about conservatorship and legal forms
Cost: no cost
Who Is Eligible: anyone
Phone: (916) 875-3400
Email: can send message through Contact Us page on website
Website: https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/probate/conservatorship.aspx
When a recipient of Social Security benefits is unable to manage their finances, the Social Security Administration may appoint a suitable representative payee to manage benefit payments on behalf of the incapacitated beneficiary. This website provides information about the representative payee program, including how to report a concern about a Social Security benefit recipient and reporting requirements for representative payees.
Cost: no cost
Who Is Eligible: anyone may access information, the Social Security determines if a payee is needed and who should serve in that capacity
Address: Office of Public Inquiries and Communications Support, 1100 West High Rise, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235
Phone: (800) 772-1213
Email: can send message through Email Us page on website
Website: https://www.ssa.gov/payee/
When a veteran is unable to manage their financial affairs, the VA may appoint a fiduciary who handles the beneficiaries' VA benefit payments. This website provides information about how fiduciaries are appointed and their responsibilities.
Cost: no cost
Who Is Eligible: veterans who are determined by the VA to be unable to manage their VA benefits
Phone: (800) 698-2411
Email: can send message through Contact Us page on website
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This page was created by Catheryn Koss.
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