Why are conservatorships allowed? Why are conservatorships so hard to end?

Conservatorships are legal arrangements in which a judge appoints someone to manage the personal or financial affairs of another person who is incapable of fully managing their affairs due to age or physical or mental limitations.

Conservatorships are generally put in place for people who are significantly disabled by mental illness, elderly individuals who lack mental capacity due to medical conditions such as dementia, or individuals with developmental disabilities who cannot manage their affairs.

Conservatorship is an extreme measure that can remove significant rights from a person and be difficult to overturn. The legalities and third-party influences that affect conservatorships often get complicated.

When a conservator controls a conservatee’s money, the conservatee might find it difficult to take care of the necessary actions to end a conservatorship.

It can take months to set up a permanent conservatorship, and costs include attorney fees, court fees, and investigator fees. The annual review process can be costly and time-consuming as well.