What you need
Have your appointment order, the last approved account, and every statement for the period. The order states the accounting period: annual, biennial, triennial or another.
The petition describes the estate’s holdings and names its current beneficiaries. It states each court order restricting your distributions, with its date. It says how this period’s distributions kept to it, and explains any that did not. HPR 26, 116 (opens in a new tab)
Attached is the accounting itself, in this order:
- a brief summary of receipts and disbursements, at the start;
- the assets at the end of the period, at current fair market value;
- the amount and basis of any fees you took;
- the detailed transactions, with regular items summarized;
- any auditor’s report.
The statute adds a list of the services the protected person received, and a recommendation on whether a conservator is still needed. §560:5-420(b) (opens in a new tab)
The example follows Leilani Carvalho, an invented ward. Her order sets accounts each year to June 30. This is her second, for 07/01/2025 through 06/30/2026.
Last year’s balances carry forward
Each account starts from the ending balances of the last approved one. Add what came in, subtract what went out, and the result is what she holds now. HPR 116 (opens in a new tab)
| Balance carried forward, 06/30/2025 | $24,324.08 |
|---|---|
| Receipts | 29,687.59 |
| Disbursements | 37,956.94 |
| Balance on hand, 06/30/2026 | $16,054.73 |
| Expense account | 2,966.54 |
| Savings account | 13,088.19 |
| Balance on hand | $16,054.73 |
Where the figures came from
| Social Security, $1,612.00 × 12 | $19,344.00 |
|---|---|
| Pension, $846.25 × 12 | 10,155.00 |
| Savings interest | 182.47 |
| Expense account interest | 6.12 |
| Receipts | $29,687.59 |
| Care home, $2,650.00 × 12 | $31,800.00 |
|---|---|
| Medicare supplement, $214.30 × 12 | 2,571.60 |
| Pharmacy and copays | 1,186.44 |
| Clothing and personal needs | 648.90 |
| Conservator’s bond premium | 300.00 |
| Lawyer’s fee, last year’s account | 1,450.00 |
| Disbursements | $37,956.94 |
| Expense account | $2,966.54 |
|---|---|
| Savings account | 13,088.19 |
| 2017 Honda Fit, fair market value | 7,200.00 |
| Assets | $23,254.73 |
The two accounts
Unless the court orders otherwise, a conservator’s cash sits in two accounts at a federally insured institution in Hawaii. One pays the regular bills. The other holds the rest. HPR 107(c) (opens in a new tab)
Leilani’s conservator moved $9,000.00 from savings to the expense account during the year. That is neither a receipt nor a disbursement. Savings holds $21,905.72 plus $182.47 interest, less the $9,000.00: $13,088.19.
The car is on the asset list at its value today. It never passes through the cash, so it sits outside the summary. No fees were taken, so the fee summary says none.
The budget
The court approved a $39,000.00 budget for Leilani’s year. She spent $37,956.94. You may move money between budget lines. You may not exceed the overall budget by more than 10% in a year without an order first. HPR 108 (opens in a new tab)
Necessary medical and dental costs of an adult, and taxes, may be paid without an order. The petition proposes an itemized budget for the next period, counting every source of her income.
After you file
Within 14 days, send notice of the filing with a copy to Leilani and anyone the court names. §560:5-404(d) (opens in a new tab)
The court may appoint a kokua kanawai, a court helper, to review the account. It may also order her assets examined. Once approved, the order settles your liability for what the account adequately disclosed. §560:5-420 (opens in a new tab)
If the protected person receives VA benefits, attach the VA’s written approval and a Certificate of Audit. HPR 115 (opens in a new tab)
The final report
Within 60 days of the protected person’s death, file a final report with a petition to approve the final accounts, end the conservatorship and discharge you. The same clock runs when a minor comes of age. HRS §560:5-431(b) (opens in a new tab)
It holds what an annual account holds. If the personal representative signs an approval, the court can discharge you without a hearing. HPR 119 (opens in a new tab)
Common mistakes
Starting from your own figure
The opening balances are the ending balances of the last approved account. If yours differ, find the gap before you file.
Investing without an order
An individual conservator needs the court’s permission first to put money anywhere but the two bank accounts, such as stocks or mutual funds. HPR 107(d) (opens in a new tab)
Assets at what she paid
The asset list uses current fair market value at the end of the period, not cost. HPR 26 (opens in a new tab)
Sources
- HRS §560:5-420 (opens in a new tab), when a conservator reports and what the report holds
- HRS §560:5-404 (opens in a new tab), notice of the filing
- HRS §607-5 (opens in a new tab), the filing fee
- Hawaii Probate Rules 25, 26, 107, 108, 115, 116, 119 (opens in a new tab), Hawaii State Judiciary
Also for Hawaii: Conservator’s Inventory
We make Fidura, guardianship accounting software built on a reconciled register for each ward. See the product
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