GUARDIANSHIP ACCOUNTING

Guardianship accounting — for guardians of a minor's estate in California.

Judicial Council form GC-400 accountings prepared to California Probate Code §2620. Annual, on-schedule, and final. Filed on time. Defensible under objection.

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What we do

A guardian of the estate — most commonly appointed for a minor who has received a settlement, an inheritance, life-insurance proceeds, or a court-blocked account — has a statutory duty under California Probate Code §2620 to file a court accounting of the ward's finances. The initial accounting is due one year after appointment; subsequent accountings are due biennially or on the schedule the court orders; a final accounting is required when the minor reaches majority (age 18) or the guardianship otherwise terminates.

The accounting uses the same Judicial Council form GC-400 framework as conservatorship accountings, with schedules on GC-400A / B / C. It reports every dollar in and out of the minor's estate, the balance of each blocked account (with balance-verification confirmations from the depository institutions), and the guardian's compensation, if any is claimed.

Guardianship estates tend to have simpler asset mixes than conservatorships or trusts — often a court-blocked bank account, a court-blocked brokerage account, and periodic settlement-payment receipts. That simplicity does not reduce the statutory duty. The accounting still has to reconcile, still has to be filed on time, and still has to be defensible.

Who this is for

Parent-guardians of a minor with a personal-injury or wrongful-death settlement.
Grandparent, aunt, or uncle guardians appointed when parents cannot serve.
Professional guardians of the estate managing multiple minor's-estate matters.
Guardianship attorneys who need a CPA firm to prepare the periodic accounting for their client.

Deliverables

GC-400 Summary of Account for the accounting period.
GC-400A / B / C schedules — receipts, disbursements, assets on hand.
Balance-verification confirmations from all blocked-account depository institutions.
Guardian compensation calculation (if any claimed) supported by time records.
Petition-ready evidentiary packet delivered to counsel via encrypted Egnyte.
Termination accounting on the minor's 18th birthday, structured for the court order to distribute directly to the (now-adult) former minor.

Frequently asked

Q: When must a guardian file an accounting?

A: Under Probate Code §2620, the first guardianship accounting is due one year after appointment. Subsequent accountings are due biennially — every two years — unless the court orders a different schedule. A final accounting is required when the minor reaches age 18 or the guardianship otherwise terminates.

Q: What is a blocked account, and how does it show up on the accounting?

A: A blocked account is a bank or brokerage account subject to court order — funds cannot be withdrawn without court authorization. On the guardianship accounting, blocked accounts appear on the Schedule of Assets on Hand with balance-verification confirmations from the depository institution as supporting evidence.

Q: Can a guardian pay for the minor's expenses out of the estate?

A: Only with court approval. Extraordinary withdrawals from a blocked account for the minor's benefit (education, medical, uninsured extraordinary needs) require an order from the court. Those withdrawals then appear on the Schedule of Disbursements, with the underlying order attached to the workpaper packet.

Q: What happens on the minor's 18th birthday?

A: A final accounting is prepared covering the period from the last accounting through the termination date. The court reviews and enters an order for distribution — typically directly to the former minor. Funds transfer from the blocked accounts to a standard account in the (now-adult) former minor's name.

Q: Is a guardianship accounting simpler than a conservatorship accounting?

A: Usually. Guardianship estates commonly hold one or two blocked accounts and receive periodic settlement payments. Conservatorship estates often include real estate, brokerage accounts, closely-held business interests, and ongoing income streams. Both use GC-400; the guardianship accounting simply tends to have fewer moving parts.

Q: How much does a guardianship accounting cost?

A: Fixed-fee, quoted per engagement. A straightforward annual accounting for a one- or two-account guardianship starts around $1,800. Complex estates or contested accountings scale from there. Written quote before work begins.

The court is watching. So is the minor's future.

GC-400 guardianship accountings prepared to California Probate Code §2620. Annual, biennial, and final. Fixed-fee quote in one call.