Adult Guardianship Periodic Reporting Requirements in Michigan
At a glance
| Covered guardian and report types | Guardian: condition and controlled-estate report; conservator: opening inventory and periodic accounts (§§ 700.5314(j), 700.5417(1), 700.5418(1)) |
|---|---|
| First plan, inventory or account | Conservator inventory within 56 days after appointment, or another court-rule period; guardian report on court-set schedule, at least annually (§§ 700.5417(1), 700.5314(j)) |
| Repeat interval and due date | Guardian reports at least annually as court requires; conservator accounts at least annually unless court directs otherwise, and when otherwise directed (§§ 700.5314(j), 700.5418(1)) |
| Condition and care-plan content | Guardian reports condition and changes, living arrangements, treatment and services, visits, continued need, and any standby guardian's willingness (§ 700.5314(j)) |
| Property and accounting content | Guardian reports estate within own control and accounts to conservator for amounts spent; conservator inventories the estate and accounts for its administration (§§ 700.5314(j), (k), 700.5417(1), 700.5418(1)) |
| Oath and required attachments | Conservator inventory includes oath or affirmation of completeness and accuracy; records must be kept and exhibited on interested-person request (§ 700.5417(1)–(2)) |
| Who receives or may inspect the report | Guardian serves report on ward and rule-specified interested persons; conservator gives inventory and account to locatable protected person age 14 or older and rule-specified interested persons (§§ 700.5314(j), 700.5417(1), 700.5418(2)) |
| Court review and late filing | Court may require a physical estate check with an account; allowance after notice and hearing adjudicates covered liabilities; resignation requires guardian-report approval (§§ 700.5418(1), 700.5310(1)) |
| Final or change-triggered report | Guardian resignation requires filed, approved report; conservator accounts on resignation/removal and at end of disability or minority; guardian reports additional cash/property discovered without conservator (§§ 700.5310(1), 700.5418(1), 700.5319(2)) |
Requirements one by one
Separate reporting tracks
The guardian reports the ward's condition and any estate in the guardian's possession or control at least annually, on the court's schedule. The report goes to the ward and interested persons identified by court rule (§ 700.5314(j)). A conservator files an inventory within 56 days after appointment, or within another court-rule period. The inventory includes an oath or affirmation of completeness and accuracy (§ 700.5417(1)).
Report and account contents
The guardian's report covers current condition (§ 700.5314(j)(i)), changes over the past year (§ 700.5314(j)(ii)), living arrangements (§ 700.5314(j)(iii)), treatment (§ 700.5314(j)(v)), services (§ 700.5314(j)(ix)), visits and activities (§ 700.5314(j)(x)), and whether guardianship should continue (§ 700.5314(j)(xi)). If a standby guardian is designated, the report includes that person's signed statement of continued willingness to serve (§ 700.5314(j)(xii)).
The conservator accounts to the court for administration at least annually unless the court directs otherwise. A copy goes to the locatable protected individual age 14 or older and interested persons named by court rule. The conservator must keep administration records and exhibit them on an interested person's request (§ 700.5418(1); § 700.5418(2); § 700.5417(2)).
Review and closing accounts
After notice and hearing, allowance of an intermediate or final conservator account adjudicates the liabilities addressed by the order. The court may require a physical check of the estate in connection with an account (§ 700.5418(1)). A guardian's resignation requires filing and approval of a report meeting the ordinary reporting requirements (§ 700.5310(1)).
What trips people up
The guardian's report is about condition and any estate the guardian actually controls; the conservator has a separate inventory and accounting duty. When a conservator is appointed, the guardian must account to the conservator for estate funds spent on the ward (§ 700.5314(k)).
The conservator accounts again on resignation or removal and at termination of the protected person's disability or minority, to the court or the formerly protected person or successors as the statute directs (§ 700.5418(1)).
Common questions
What if the guardian discovers additional cash or readily convertible property? If no conservator is appointed and the amount exceeds what the guardian ad litem estimated and reported, the guardian reports the additional amount to the court (§ 700.5319(2)). HB 5740 would add a deadline for a specified larger discovery if enacted.
Must the protected person receive the conservator's inventory and account? Yes, if the person can be located and is at least 14 years old; interested persons specified in the court rules also receive copies (§ 700.5417(1); § 700.5418(2)).
Statutes and sources
The verbatim quotations in the statutes entries above come from the linked Michigan Legislature compiled-law sections, accessed October 3, 2026. The pending-bill descriptions use the linked official bill texts and histories checked that day.
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
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