Section 2643.1 Of Chapter 8. Compensation Of Guardian, Conservator, And Attorney From California Probate Code >> Division 4. >> Part 4. >> Chapter 8.
2643.1
. (a) On petition by a guardian or conservator of the person
or estate, or both, who is a professional fiduciary, as described in
Section 2340 and who is required to be licensed under the
Professional Fiduciaries Act (Chapter 6 (commencing with Section
6500) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code), the court
may by order authorize periodic payments on account to a person
described in subdivision (a) of Section 2643 for the services
rendered by that person during the period covered by each payment
only if that person has filed a proposed hourly fee schedule or
another statement of his or her proposed compensation from the estate
of the ward or conservatee for services performed as a guardian or
conservator, as required by Section 2614.7, and only after the court
has addressed any objections filed pursuant to subdivision (d).
(b) The petition shall describe the services to be rendered on a
periodic basis, the reason why authority to make periodic payments is
requested, and a good faith estimate of the fees to be charged by
the professional fiduciary from the date the petition is filed up to,
and including, the date of the next succeeding account required by
Section 2620 or, if the next succeeding account required by Section
2620 is due in less than one year, a good faith estimate of the fees
to be charged by the professional fiduciary from the date the
petition is filed through the next succeeding 12 months, inclusive.
Prior to ordering periodic payments or fixing the amount of the
periodic payment, the court shall determine whether making periodic
payments is in the best interest of the ward or conservatee, taking
into consideration the needs of the ward or conservatee and the need
to preserve and protect the estate. If the court determines that
making periodic payments is not in the best interest of the ward or
conservatee, the court shall deny the petition to authorize periodic
payments. If the court determines that making periodic payments is in
the best interest of the ward or conservatee, the court shall fix
the amount of the periodic payment. In fixing the amount of the
periodic payment, the court shall take into account the services to
be rendered on a periodic basis and the reasonable value of those
services.
(c) (1) Notice of the hearing on the petition and notice of how to
file an objection to the petition shall be given for the period and
in the manner provided in Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1460) of
Part 1.
(2) The notices required by paragraph (1) shall be made to the
court investigator for the period and in the manner provided in
Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1460) of Part 1.
(d) (1) Any person entitled to notice under paragraph (1) of
subdivision (c) may file with the court a written objection to the
authorization of periodic payments on account. The court clerk shall
set any objections for a hearing no fewer than 15 days after the date
the objections are filed.
(2) If an objection is filed pursuant to paragraph (1), the
guardian or conservator shall have the burden of establishing the
necessity for and amount, if any, of periodic payments.
(e) The guardian or conservator of the estate may make the
periodic payments authorized by the order only if the services
described in the petition are actually rendered. The payments made
pursuant to the order shall be reviewed by the court upon the next
succeeding account of the guardian or conservator of the estate to
determine that the services were actually rendered and that the
amount paid on account was reasonable and in the best interest of the
ward or conservatee, taking into consideration the needs of the ward
or conservatee and the need to preserve and protect the estate. The
court shall make an appropriate order reducing the guardian or
conservator's compensation if the court determines that the amount
paid on account was either unreasonable or not in the best interest
of the ward or conservatee in view of the services actually rendered.
(f) The authorization for periodic payments granted pursuant to
this section shall terminate on a date determined by the court, but
not later than the due date of the next succeeding account required
by Section 2620. Nothing in this section shall preclude a guardian or
conservator from filing a subsequent petition to receive periodic
payments pursuant to this section.