How Much Does Guardianship Cost? A State-by-State Reality Check

When attorneys quote guardianship cost, they usually quote their own fee. The real total is the sum of six categories — and the attorney fee is sometimes the smallest one.

• Filing fee: $150–$700, paid to the probate court when the petition is filed.
• Service of process / publication: $50–$300 to serve the alleged incapacitated person and any required relatives.
• Court-appointed attorney for the alleged incapacitated person: $500–$2,500. In most states this is mandatory — the AIP gets their own lawyer regardless of family wishes.
• Court visitor or guardian ad litem: $300–$1,500 to investigate the petition and report back to the court.
• Capacity evaluation by physician or psychologist: $400–$1,200, often required even if a recent assessment exists.
• Petitioner's own attorney: $1,500–$5,000+ uncontested, $7,000–$25,000+ if contested.

The petition is the one-time cost. After appointment, the guardian or conservator faces ongoing costs every year for the life of the order.

• Annual report preparation: free if you do it yourself, $400–$1,500 if you hire your attorney to file it.
• Annual accounting (for conservators of the estate): $500–$3,000 depending on estate complexity.
• Bond premium (usually required for conservators): roughly 0.5%–1% of the bond amount per year.
• Court review fees: $50–$300 per year in most states.
• Mileage, copying, postage: small but real, usually reimbursable from the estate.

All-in cost for an uncontested adult guardianship in 2026 typically lands in these ranges:

• Lowest cost cluster ($1,500–$3,500 all-in, uncontested): Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho.
• Mid-range ($3,500–$6,500 all-in, uncontested): most of the South, Midwest, and Mountain West.
• Higher-cost cluster ($5,500–$9,500 all-in, uncontested): California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, DC.
• Contested cases anywhere can exceed $20,000 — the bulk of which is attorney time on both sides.

Three tactics consistently reduce total guardianship cost without compromising the protected person's interests:

• Avoid contested proceedings by getting family alignment in writing before filing — even a simple email exchange can prevent a $15,000 attorney fight.
• Use the least restrictive alternative — a limited guardianship over a few specific powers (e.g., medical decisions only) usually moves through court faster than full guardianship.
• Self-file annual reports — most states publish a fillable form, and the recordkeeping required is the same recordkeeping any responsible guardian should be doing anyway.

If your loved one still has capacity to sign a power of attorney, the math changes completely. A full POA package (financial + medical + advance directive + HIPAA) costs $300–$800 to prepare and avoids essentially every line item above. Court-ordered protection becomes necessary only when capacity is already lost or when an existing arrangement (POA, joint account, trust) is being abused.