Adult Guardianship Periodic Reporting Requirements in Rhode Island
At a glance
| Covered guardian and report types | Temporary/full/limited guardians: inventory; person-authorized guardian: annual status report; estate-authorized guardian and conservator: estate accounts (§§ 33-15-19, -26, -26.1, -45). |
|---|---|
| First plan, inventory or account | Temporary, full or limited guardian files inventory/appraisal within 30 days after appointment, or longer if probate court allows; conservator follows guardian-estate inventory rule (§§ 33-15-19(a), -45). |
| Repeat interval and due date | Person-authorized guardian files status report every year; estate-authorized guardian files account every year; conservator follows estate accounting law (§§ 33-15-26(a), -26.1(a), -45). |
| Condition and care-plan content | Status report gives residence, condition, perceived capacity changes, and summary of guardian actions and decisions (§ 33-15-26.1(a)). |
| Property and accounting content | Opening inventory/appraisal lists ward's real and personal property; joint-asset valuation basis explained; estate guardian accounts as executors/administrators do (§§ 33-15-19, -26(a)). |
| Oath and required attachments | Opening inventory/appraisal returned under oath; appraisers sworn; annual status report uses statutory form (§§ 33-15-19(a), -26.1(a)). |
| Who receives or may inspect the report | Inventory, annual account and status report go to probate court; resignation requires estate account and status report filed with court (§§ 33-15-19(a), -26(a), -26.1(a), -18(b)). |
| Court review and late filing | Probate court monitors files; missing annual account/status report prompts citation and 30-day demand; estate-account default without sufficient excuse carries statutory loss of compensation and full-value accountability (§§ 33-15-26(a), -26.1(b)). |
| Final or change-triggered report | Before accepting guardian/conservator resignation, court requires estate account and status report stating current residence and condition; material residence, facility, acute-care or death events trigger relative/designated-person notice (§§ 33-15-18(b), -18.1(g)). |
Requirements one by one
Inventory and annual filings
Under § 33-15-19(a), the opening inventory and appraisal cover the ward's real and personal property as of the guardian's qualification. The court may allow more than 30 days. Under § 33-15-19(b), a jointly owned asset's entry must explain why all, none or part of its value was included. § 33-15-45 applies the estate-guardian inventory and accounting law to a conservator.
Section 33-15-26(a) calls for the annual account from a guardian authorized over the estate. Section 33-15-26.1(a) instead calls for a personal status report from a guardian authorized to make decisions about the ward's person. The status report gives the residence and condition, perceived changes in decision-making capacity, and a summary of actions and decisions.
Form and sworn inventory
The inventory and appraisal are returned under oath, and appraisers are sworn (§ 33-15-19(a)). The personal status report is in the statutory form identified by § 33-15-26.1(a) and § 33-15-47. The account follows the manner prescribed for executors and administrators (§ 33-15-26(a)).
What trips people up
A missing annual filing has a court response. For a missing estate account, § 33-15-26(a) directs citation and a demand to file within 30 days. Failure to comply for 30 days without sufficient excuse makes the guardian accountable for the full value of the estate and property under the guardian's authority and removes compensation. The court may excuse an annual account on application if unnecessary or inexpedient. For a missing personal status report, § 33-15-26.1(b) also requires citation and a 30-day filing demand; § 33-15-26.1(c) permits a waiver for good cause.
Common questions
What is required before a guardian or conservator resigns?
Under § 33-15-18(b), the probate court accepts resignation after the fiduciary accounts for property in possession and files a status report stating the ward's current residence and condition.
Must relatives be told when the adult moves or dies?
§ 33-15-18.1(g) requires prompt notice to the closest relatives and people the ward designated when a listed event is known, including a residence change, specified facility or medical admission, or death. Death notice is in person or by telephone. § 33-15-18.1(h) states opt-out, ward/court prohibition and protective-order limits on notice or contact details.
Statutes and sources
- R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 33-15-19, -26, -26.1: official Chapter 33-15 index and the section URLs recorded above; accessed 2026-10-04.
- R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 33-15-18, -18.1, -45, -47: same official index and the section URLs recorded above; accessed 2026-10-04.
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
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