How Much Does a Conservator Get Paid in Connecticut?

A conservator in Connecticut is paid on one of two tracks. If the conserved person cannot afford to pay, the state pays a flat $52 per hour under Probate Court Regulation 16, with $26 per hour for employees doing compensable work under direct supervision.{¹} If the estate can pay, there is no fixed rate: the probate court reviews the fee for reasonableness under Rule 39, weighing the size of the estate, the complexity of the work, and the conservator’s skill.{²} Which track applies to your case is the single biggest driver of what you’ll earn.

State-Funded Pay Under Regulation 16

Two things have to be true for the state to pay you. The court must have granted a fee waiver on the conserved person’s behalf (form PC-184A), and the conserved person’s countable assets cannot exceed $1,600, the Title XIX maximum.{²} When both are met, compensation comes from the probate court administration fund at the fixed rates above. The rates do not change with a conservator’s credentials or years of experience.

One eligibility rule catches families off guard. Conservators related to the conserved person by blood, marriage, or domestic partnership are not eligible for Regulation 16 compensation.{¹} A family member serving a low-asset relative will not be paid through this program.

Private-Pay Compensation Under Rule 39

When the conserved person’s estate can cover the cost, Rule 39 governs and there is no set hourly rate. Professional conservators can charge rates that reflect their qualifications and the market, subject to court approval.{²} The court can approve a fee arrangement before work begins or review the fees after services are rendered, and it decides reasonableness whether or not anyone objects.{³}

Rule 39.2 lists the factors the court weighs when a task statement is required:

The size of the estate
The responsibilities involved
The character of the work
Special problems or difficulties
The results achieved
The knowledge, skill, and judgment required
The promptness with which matters were handled
The time and labor required{}⁴

Larger estates and more demanding duties support higher fees. Estates with limited assets tend to draw lower approved fees so funds remain available for the conserved person’s care. The court can also require a financial report or account before approving a proposed fee if it needs more information.{⁵}

What You Can Bill For

Under Regulation 16, Section 16.5 sets out the compensable categories:

Personal care decisions, including medical care, arranging and supervising services, and handling emergencies
Meeting and speaking with the conserved person, family, medical providers, and facility staff about care
Managing income and assets, paying bills, banking, reconciling statements, bookkeeping, and preparing tax returns
Obtaining public benefits, applying for Medicaid, and executing a spend-down plan
Preparing for and attending probate hearings; preparing petitions, motions, and annual reports
Managing mail and records; preparing financial reports and accounts
Time on outside legal proceedings that affect the conserved person’s interests, limited to decision-making about position and strategy{}¹

Travel time between your office and other locations on conservatorship business is compensable. Travel from your home is not, unless your home is your sole place of business.{²}

What You Cannot Bill For

The exclusions trip up newer conservators. Under Regulation 16, none of the following can be billed:

Shopping or delivering goods
Delivering a cash allowance, unless no practical alternative exists
Bank trips for deposits when direct deposit is available
Transportation or companionship
Acting as attorney for the conserved person; a conservator who is a lawyer cannot bill legal services to the conserved person
Home maintenance, improvement, or moving furniture and possessions, except to safeguard valuables
Pet care, except when the conserved person is temporarily unable
Timekeeping and billing activities
Secretarial work, including typing, photocopying, mailing, faxing, and filing{}²

Travel expenses like mileage, parking, and tolls are not reimbursable under Regulation 16, even though travel time itself is compensable.{¹} That distinction is easy to miss.

Invoicing Rules That Decide Whether You Actually Get Paid

On the state-funded track, invoicing is strict. Submit invoices within six months of the date services were performed. The probate court is prohibited by law from paying invoices submitted after that deadline.{²} Each invoice must also meet these requirements:

A unique invoice number for each submission
Time reported in 0.1-hour (six-minute) increments
The exact time spent each day services were performed, with no averaging or estimating
Each entry identifies the individual who did the work, so the correct rate ($52 or $26) applies
A minimum invoice amount of $50, unless the invoice includes activity from at least five months ago{}²

Invoices go directly to the probate court, which assigns a tracking number.{⁶} You cannot bill for the time it takes to prepare invoices or maintain timesheets.

On the private-pay side, fees not previously approved are reviewed during the periodic financial reporting process. The court determines reasonableness whether or not anyone objects.{⁵} Any interested party can also require the court to order an annual accounting.{⁷}

Annual Caps and Asking to Exceed Them

Regulation 16 imposes annual caps on state-funded compensation. If the cap is insufficient for a case, submit a request to exceed the annual cap along with the invoice. The court may grant the request if you used the most efficient method available to perform each activity.{²} Document unusual complexity in writing; approval is not automatic.

When Fees Are Reduced or Denied

Under Rule 39, the court independently evaluates reasonableness at every review. Fees the judge finds excessive, poorly documented, or unjustified can be reduced or denied.{⁵} Financial mismanagement can also lead to removal. The court may consider evidence that a conservator failed to adhere to applicable standards of practice when deciding whether a breach of fiduciary duty occurred, and a removed conservator can face personal liability for losses. Serious cases involving theft or abuse of estate funds can trigger criminal prosecution.

Pay After the Conserved Person Dies

Compensable work does not stop at death, but it narrows sharply. Under Regulation 16, post-death compensation covers paying funeral and administration expenses and permitted claims, preparing a final financial report or account, and attending court hearings on that report.{¹} State funds cover this post-death work only to the extent the conserved person’s remaining assets are insufficient.

1
Office of the Probate Court Administrator. Probate Court Regulations Section 16 – Compensation of Conservator if Person under Conservatorship is Unable to Pay
2
Connecticut Probate Courts. Conservatorship FAQ
3
Office of the Probate Court Administrator, State of Connecticut. Probate Court Rules of Procedure – Section: Rule 39 Fiduciary and Attorneys Fees
4
Office of the Probate Court Administrator, State of Connecticut. Probate Court Rules of Procedure – Section: Rule 39.2 Task Statement of Fiduciary and Attorney
5
Office of the Probate Court Administrator, State of Connecticut. Probate Court Rules of Procedure – Section: Rule 39.1 Fiduciary and Attorneys Fees
6
Connecticut Probate Courts. Conservator Professional
7
The Connecticut General Assembly. An Act Concerning Conservator Accountability