The Texas guardianship annual report is a sworn affidavit that a guardian of the person files with the probate court every year to document where the ward lives, how their health is holding up, who has been treating them, and how money spent on their support was used. It is due within 60 days after each 12-month reporting period ends, and the reporting period runs from the anniversary of the date you qualified as guardian.1State of Texas. Texas Estates Code EST 1163.102 – Reporting Period There is no statewide form; each county’s probate court publishes its own, and the content tracks Texas Estates Code Section 1163.101.2State of Texas. Texas Estates Code Section 1163.101 – Annual Report Required
When the Report Is Due
The clock starts the day you take the oath of office and the court issues letters of guardianship. That is your qualification date. Each reporting period covers the 12 months from that date or its anniversary, and the report is due no later than 60 days after the period closes.1State of Texas. Texas Estates Code EST 1163.102 – Reporting Period Qualify on March 15, and your first reporting period runs through March 14 of the next year, with a filing deadline of May 14.
Put the deadline on a calendar the day you qualify. Judges have wide discretion when a guardian goes silent, and repeated late filings can lead to removal.
Where to Get the Form
Download the form from the website of the probate court or county clerk handling your case. Travis County posts it directly on its probate court guardianship page, and Harris County does the same.3Travis County, Texas. Guardianship Some counties bundle attachments with the report. Harris County, for example, lists a separate Health Care Provider’s Certificate of Medical Examination alongside the annual report, so pull every document the court makes available before you start filling anything out.
What the Report Has to Cover
The statute divides the report into a sworn affidavit about the ward’s condition and a financial summary of what was spent on the ward’s support during the year. Both are filed together.2State of Texas. Texas Estates Code Section 1163.101 – Annual Report Required
The Ward’s Home and Personal Information
You identify yourself (name, address, phone) and the ward (name, address, phone, date of birth, age). Then you describe the type of home the ward lives in, using categories the statute spells out: the ward’s own home, a nursing home, the guardian’s home, a foster home, a boarding home, a relative’s home (with the relationship specified), a hospital or medical facility, or another type of residence.2State of Texas. Texas Estates Code Section 1163.101 – Annual Report Required Report how long the ward has lived there, and if there was a move during the year, explain why.
Health and Medical Care
State whether the ward’s physical and mental health improved, deteriorated, or stayed the same, and describe any change. Confirm whether the ward is under regular medical care. Then list every provider who treated or evaluated the ward during the year, with each provider’s name and a description of what they did. The statute groups providers into physicians, psychiatrists or other mental health care providers, dentists, social or other caseworkers, and anyone else who provided treatment.2State of Texas. Texas Estates Code Section 1163.101 – Annual Report Required
Keep appointment records as the year goes. Reconstructing 12 months of medical history at the deadline is where most guardians lose hours.
Activities, Living Conditions, and Your Visits
Describe the ward’s recreational, educational, social, and occupational activities for the year. If no activities were available or the ward could not or would not participate, say so plainly. Rate the living arrangements as excellent, average, or below average, and explain any below-average rating. Note whether the ward seems content and identify unmet needs.2State of Texas. Texas Estates Code Section 1163.101 – Annual Report Required
Give the date you most recently saw the ward and how often you visited during the year. Courts read this closely. State whether you think your guardianship powers should be increased, decreased, or left the same, with an explanation if you recommend a change. Finally, confirm that the bond premium for the next reporting period has been paid.2State of Texas. Texas Estates Code Section 1163.101 – Annual Report Required
Financial Summary
The report also includes a sworn accounting of every receipt and disbursement for the ward’s support and maintenance during the reporting period. Include education expenses if the ward is being educated, and include support paid to the ward’s dependents if a court order authorizes it.2State of Texas. Texas Estates Code Section 1163.101 – Annual Report Required Some counties give you a worksheet for this piece. Travis County provides an Income and Expenses Worksheet and a Representative Payee Report for guardians handling Social Security funds on the ward’s behalf.3Travis County, Texas. Guardianship
Signing the Report
The report is a sworn document. The statute requires a sworn affidavit, which means signing before a notary public or another officer authorized to administer oaths.2State of Texas. Texas Estates Code Section 1163.101 – Annual Report Required Some county forms use a declaration “under penalty of perjury” instead of a notary block.4Brazos County. Guardian’s Report on the Condition and Well-Being of a Ward Follow the format on your county’s form. If the form has a notary block, get it notarized. An unsigned or un-notarized report will be rejected at the clerk’s window.
How to File and What It Costs
Attorneys in Texas must e-file civil, family, probate, and criminal filings in district and county courts through eFileTexas.gov.5eFileTexas.Gov. Official E-Filing System for Texas If you are filing on your own as a non-attorney guardian, e-filing is encouraged but not required. Some courts accept paper filings from pro se guardians. Harris County, for example, accepts annual reports by mail to the County Clerk’s Probate Department.6Harris County Probate Court. Guardianship Check your county’s local rules before you mail anything.
The statute sets no filing fee; each county has its own fee schedule. For reference, Hood County charges $10 to file an annual or final report of a guardian.7Hood County. Probate/Guardianship Fees If you cannot afford the fee, file a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs, a standard Texas Judicial Branch form. If the court approves it, you will not owe fees charged by the court, including filing costs.8Texas Judicial Branch. Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs or an Appeal Bond
Filing Without an Attorney
Texas law expressly allows a guardian of the person to prepare and file the annual report without a lawyer.9State of Texas. Texas Estates Code Section 1163.105 – Attorney Not Required If the case involves complicated finances, family disputes, or a significant change in the ward’s condition, a consultation before you file can head off trouble during court review.
What Happens After You File
The judge reviews the report. If satisfied that the statements are true, the court approves the report and enters an order to that effect, which closes the reporting obligation for the year and keeps the guardianship in good standing. If the judge finds problems (missing information, signs of neglect, unexplained financial discrepancies), the court can set a hearing, request more documentation, or appoint an investigator to look into the ward’s situation.
If You Miss the Deadline
A missed report puts the guardianship at risk. The court can issue a show-cause order, impose sanctions, or start removal proceedings. Texas treats the annual report as a core duty, not an optional update. If you know you are going to be late, file late rather than not at all, and call the court clerk to explain. A late report with a reasonable explanation lands better than silence.