Section 5–424. [Distributive Duties and Powers of Conservator.]
(a) Unless otherwise specified in the order of appointment and endorsed on the letters of appointment or contrary to the plan filed pursuant to section 5–416, a conservator may expend or distribute income or principal of the estate without court authorization or confirmation for the support, education, care, or benefit of the protected person and dependents in accordance with the following principles:
(1) The conservator shall consider recommendations relating to the appropriate standard of support, education, and benefit for the protected person or dependent made by a parent or guardian, if any. The conservator may not be surcharged for sums paid to persons or organizations furnishing support, education, or care to the protected person or a dependent pursuant to the recommendations of a parent or guardian of the protected person unless the conservator knows that the parent or guardian derives undue or disproportionate personal financial benefit therefrom, including relief from any personal duty of support or the recommendations are clearly not in the best interest of the protected person.
(2) The conservator shall expend or distribute sums reasonably necessary for the support, education, care, or benefit of the protected person and dependents with due regard to (i) the size of the estate, the probable duration of the conservatorship, and the likelihood that the protected person, at some future time, may be fully able to be wholly self-sufficient and able to manage business affairs and the estate; (ii) the accustomed standard of living of the protected person and dependents; and (iii) other funds or sources used for the support of the protected person.
(3) The conservator may expend funds of the estate for the support, funeral expenses and burial expenses of persons legally dependent on the protected person and others who are members of the protected person's household who are unable to support themselves, and who are in need of support.
(4) Funds expended under this subsection may be paid by the conservator to any person, including the protected person, to reimburse for expenditures that the conservator might have made, or in advance for services to be rendered to the protected person if it is reasonable to expect the services will be performed and advance payments are customary or reasonably necessary under the circumstances.
(5) A conservator, in discharging the responsibilities conferred by court order and this part, shall implement the principles described in section 5–407(a), to the extent possible.
(b) If the estate is ample to provide for the purposes implicit in the distributions authorized by the preceding subsections, a conservator for a protected person other than a minor has power to make gifts to charity and persons which the protected person has expressed an intent to benefit, in amounts that do not exceed in total for any year 10 per cent of the income from the estate.
(c) When a minor who has not been adjudged disabled under section 5–401(c) attains majority, the conservator, after meeting all claims and expenses of administration, shall pay over and distribute all funds and properties to the formerly protected person as soon as possible.
(d) If satisfied that a protected person's disability, other than minority, has ceased, the conservator, after meeting all claims and expenses of administration, shall pay over and distribute all funds and properties to the formerly protected person as soon as possible.
(e) If a protected person dies, the conservator shall deliver to the court for safekeeping any will of the deceased protected person which may have come into the conservator's possession, inform the personal representative or beneficiary named therein of the delivery, and retain the estate for delivery to a duly appointed personal representative of the decedent or other persons entitled thereto. If, 40 days after the death of the protected person, no other person has been appointed personal representative and no application or petition for appointment is before the court, the conservator may apply to exercise the powers and duties of a personal representative in order to be able to proceed to administer and distribute the decedent's estate. Upon application for an order granting the powers of a personal representative to a conservator, after notice to any person nominated personal representative by any will of which the applicant is aware, the court may grant the application upon determining that there is no objection and endorse the letters of the conservator to note that the formerly protected person is deceased and that the conservator has acquired all of the powers and duties of a personal representative. The making and entry of an order under this section has the effect of an order of appointment of a personal representative as provided in section 3–308 and parts 6 to 10, inclusive, of article III, but the estate in the name of the conservator, after administration, may be distributed to the decedent's successors without prior re-transfer to the conservator as personal representative.
Structure Massachusetts General Laws
Part II - Real and Personal Property and Domestic Relations
Chapter 190b - Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code
Article V - Protection of Persons Under Disability and Their Property
Section 4-401 - Effect of Adjudication for or Against Personal Representative
Section 5-101 - Definitions and Inclusions
Section 5-102 - Facility of Payment or Delivery
Section 5-103 - Delegation of Powers by Parent or Guardian
Section 5-106 - Appointment of Counsel; Guardian Ad Litem
Section 5-107 - Protection of Minors
Section 5-201 - Appointment and Status of Guardian of Minor
Section 5-202 - Parental or Guardian Appointment of Guardian for Minor
Section 5-203 - Objection by Minor Fourteen or Older to Parental Appointment
Section 5-206 - Procedure for Court Appointment of Guardian of Minor
Section 5-207 - Court Appointment of Guardian of Minor; Qualifications; Priority of Minor's Nominee
Section 5-208 - Bond; Consent to Service by Acceptance of Appointment; Notice
Section 5-209 - Powers, Duties, Rights and Immunities of Guardian of Minor; Limitations
Section 5-210 - Termination of Appointment of Guardian; General
Section 5-212 - Resignation, Removal, and Other Post-Appointment Proceedings
Section 5-301 - Nomination of Guardian for Incapacitated Person by Will or Other Writing
Section 5-303 - Procedure for Court Appointment of a Guardian of an Incapacitated Person
Section 5-304 - Notice in Guardianship or Conservatorship Proceeding
Section 5-305 - Who May Be Guardian; Parties
Section 5-306 - Findings; Order of Appointment
Section 5-307 - Bond; Acceptance of Appointment; Consent to Jurisdiction
Section 5-308 - Emergency Orders; Temporary Guardians
Section 5-309 - Powers, Duties, Rights and Immunities of Guardians, Limitations
Section 5-310 - Termination of Guardianship for Incapacitated Person
Section 5-311 - Removal or Resignation of Guardian; Termination of Incapacity
Section 5-313 - Religious Freedom of Incapacitated Person
Section 5-401 - Management of Estate
Section 5-402 - Protective Proceedings; Jurisdiction of Business Affairs of Protected Persons
Section 5-404 - Original Petition for Appointment or Protective Order
Section 5-407 - Findings; Order of Appointment; Permissible Court Orders
Section 5-408 - Protective Arrangements and Single Transactions Authorized
Section 5-409 - Who May Be Appointed Conservator; Penalties
Section 5-411 - Terms and Requirements of Bonds
Section 5-412 - Acceptance of Appointment; Consent to Jurisdiction
Section 5-413 - Compensation and Expenses
Section 5-415 - Petitions for Orders Subsequent to Appointment
Section 5-416 - General Duty of Conservator; Plan
Section 5-417 - Inventory and Records
Section 5-419 - Conservators; Title by Appointment
Section 5-420 - Recording of Conservator's Letters
Section 5-422 - Persons Dealing With Conservators; Protection
Section 5-423 - Powers of Conservator in Administration
Section 5-424 - Distributive Duties and Powers of Conservator
Section 5-425 - Enlargement or Limitation of Powers of Conservator
Section 5-426 - Preservation of Estate Plan; Right to Examine
Section 5-427 - Claims Against Protected Person
Section 5-428 - Personal Liability of Conservator
Section 5-431 - Foreign Conservator; Proof of Authority; Bond; Powers
Section 5-502 - Durable Power of Attorney Not Affected by Lapse of Time, Disability or Incapacity
Section 5-503 - Relation of Attorney in Fact to Court-Appointed Fiduciary
Section 5-504 - Power of Attorney Not Revoked Until Notice
Section 5-505 - Proof of Continuance of Durable and Other Powers of Attorney by Affidavit
Section 5-507 - Protection; Third Parties
Section 5-306a - Substituted Judgment