How expensive is it to get Power of Attorney or Guardianship?

Thank you all for your responses. Our hope is that the VA will assess his condition and provide care; it's what most career military veterans would have imagined would be available to someone who gave 20+ years in service. At least I hope so. It's understandable that the system is overburdened with retirees living longer than in past history, but as I see it, this is part of what causes so very many military veterans to wind up homeless and hopeless... they aren't accepted in many civilian care facilities because they're "unmanageable" so they're dumped right back out on the streets without the faculties to cope with finances, understanding their own health and mental care needs or being able to drive/afford transportation.

A lot of things to consider. I believe things are beginning to straighten out though; there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

Thank you!

I had to put $5,000 down as a retainer, I have spent an additional $13,000 which includes doctors from downstate to come up to do mental evaluations and stay in the house 24 to 48 hours to observe the nonsense. One gets here today, thankfully. Now the person wants a jury trial so I have no clue the cost for that since courts are closed.

It is not cheap. My lawyer did say that for people that are in the hospital or whatever, emergency guardianships cost around $5000.

A POA has to be created while the person assigning it is competent. It sounds like your family member may no longer be considered to be competent.

Guardianship requires a court hearing and from I have read here can be $10,000 - $20,000.

Another option, generally the last one is to get the Public Trustee involved. But if this happens, the family loses all rights to making choices for their loved one. And it can drain whatever funds are remaining.

If there is any possibility that he could be reasoned with and give you POA that would be your best solution. A lawyer would have to feel there is some recognition of him making this choice on his own.

A good friends husband suffered a stroke. He was in a variety of facilities for almost a year. His wife needed to sell one of their cars. She and their daughters had calm conversations explaining the need for this. It took a couple of times for the lawyer she hired to obtain this until he finally agreed. She needed the services of the lawyer for a variety of reasons including getting him on Medicaid which was successful. She wanted to avoid having to get guardianship. You have been told what that requires. I hope you are able to move forward without too much stress.

Grandmamommy, I am going thru the guardianship/conservatorship right now for my husband. Its cost over $3,000 so far & I started this long drawn out process back in early November! The court hearing is on 5/21, and I hope thats it. I’ll still have to do an inventory of his tools etc, and I believe also send a written care plan to the court. I’m sick to my stomach thinking about it. There’s been family involved in this, I do think that if I would have had a POA before alzheimers got “bad” I would have been in a better position & less hassle