Making Decisions For Someone Else
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.