DEMO / PROTOTYPE

The Guardian Assist software is not a court-adopted system and is not legally authoritative. For demonstration and feedback only — do not rely on it for filings, verification, or care decisions.

Guardian Assistprototype · guardianassist.org
Working Group

Bank / financial setup

After Letters, set up the fiduciary account, access limits, and Social Security payee status before money moves. This sits next to the Bank / financial scoped verify link.

This checklist is a prototype. It is not legal, tax, or banking advice, and it has not yet been signed off by the Guardian Working Group. Confirm titling and access rules with the court order, the bank, and a licensed Arizona attorney or fiduciary when you need counsel.

  1. Step 1

    Read the Letters and any money restrictions

    Bring the current Letters of appointment (and any conservatorship or restricted-account order). Banks follow the court paper, not a verbal explanation. Note who may act, whether a bond is required, and any dollar caps or “court approval first” language.

  2. Step 2

    Title the account as a fiduciary account

    Ask the bank to open (or retitle) an account in a fiduciary style — typically the protected person’s name “by [your name], guardian/conservator,” or “[your name], guardian/conservator for [protected person].” Do not mix these funds with your personal money. If the order requires a restricted or blocked account, say that up front so the bank codes it correctly.

  3. Step 3

    Limit who can sign, spend, and bank online

    Set signers to match the Letters. Do not add family helpers, the protected person, or facility staff unless the order allows it. Turn off extra debit cards, overdraft, and “authorized user” access. If the court requires two signatures or no ATM withdrawals, ask the bank to encode those limits. Keep your personal login separate from the fiduciary login.

  4. Step 4

    Apply to be the SSA representative payee when Social Security is involved

    Letters alone do not make you the payee. SSA usually requires a face-to-face interview and Form SSA-11 (Request to be Selected as Payee). You cannot finish that application fully online. Apply before you expect a deposit change, then tell SSA the fiduciary account details once the bank account is open.

  5. Step 5

    Prove authority at the bank without oversharing

    Use the Bank / financial scoped temp link (names and restrictions only — not health detail) so a banker can confirm who may act. Bring photo ID and the Letters. After the visit, revoke or let the link expire.

  6. Step 6

    Keep a paper trail for the annual accounting

    Save the signature card, titling confirmation, SSA payee decision, and monthly statements. Arizona annual reports often need a clear picture of receipts, spending, and where funds sit. If a transaction needed court approval and you did not have it, stop and get advice before repeating it.

Need the banker to confirm who may act? Create a Bank / financial temp link on Prove authority.