Estate Administration Division

The Estate Administration Division provides inventory and asset management to our clients under Court appointment so their estates are preserved and protected.

The Estate Administration Division is responsible for the timely gathering and security of client assets. Initially, staff members investigate the location and value of assets belonging to the protected person or estate at the time of our legal appointment. The Estate Administrator organizes the financial and property documents and collects and/or marshals the property for safe keeping or future liquidation. Staff members complete an inventory of the property and provide the inventory, in the form of a report, to the client, the Court, and the client’s family. Real and personal property is managed throughout our administration of conservatorship and decedent estates.

Estate Operations Division

The Estate Operations Division is responsible for the timeliness and accuracy of all financial information. It is divided into three sections, Court Accounting, General Accounting and Benefits.

The General Accounting section is responsible for all receipts, disbursements, and the data entry of inventory items. This section also gathers the financial information for the preparation of State and Federal income tax returns.

The Court Accounting section calculates and prepares the legal and financial documents that are known as annual, biennial and final accountings. These accountings are submitted to the Probate Court and all other interested parties for the purpose of reporting all financial and asset activity that has occurred during a specific time period.

The Benefits section is responsible for the application, receipt, and monitoring of all Federal, State, County, and Private benefits. This includes, but is not limited to, Supplemental Security Income, Social Security, VA, Railroad, private pensions, Supervisory Care Assistance, AFDC, AHCCS, ALTCS, Food Stamps, Medicare, and private health insurance.

Guardian Administration Division

The Guardian Administration Division is responsible for providing informed consent regarding the care, treatment and residential services of clients under guardianship. All wards under guardianship are met with on a quarterly basis and communication is maintained with caretakers, case managers and treatment teams involved in the life and care of the ward. During times of medical and psychiatric need, the Guardian Administrators consent for procedures, medications, placement and other care required. These decisions include directives for end of life care. They prepare and file annual guardianship reports as required by statute. They attend Individual Service Plan meetings, Care Plans and other staffings as the decision-maker for the client. In cases where assets are minimal or another agency serves as representative payee, they work with the clients and their teams to set up budgets and provide oversight as to the use of their resources.

Indigent Burial Program

The Indigent Burial Program staff determines proper final arrangements when lack of family involvement and/or resources is at issue.  Our staff works with family and friends of the decedent to determine eligibility for assistance and arrange the most appropriate disposition.  Area mortuaries participate in a voluntary rotation system coordinated by the Medical Examiner’s office. This cooperative system helps to ensure that a dignified and orderly process is followed.  Members of the County’s Facilities Management and Sheriff’s Office provide logistical services for proper interment.  Arrangements may also be made with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona to inter indigent veterans of the United States armed forces.

Financial Investigation Team
“FIT” Program

In 2000, the Maricopa County Public Fiduciary identified the need for a systematic approach to investigating the increasing number of financial exploitation allegations. In December 2001, the first Financial Exploitation Investigator was hired. The financial exploitation program was implemented using a multidisciplinary approach. These objectives include: loss prevention, forensic document / transaction analysis, timely reporting of exploitation to law enforcement and the Superior Court, recovery of assets on behalf of the estate, testifying in civil and criminal hearings, and providing inter-agency training and cooperation on related subjects.  See Frequently Asked Questions for additional information.