Guardianship Cost in Pennsylvania

The total cost of obtaining guardianship of an adult with a disability in Pennsylvania ranges from roughly $500 for a self-navigated, uncontested petition in a low-fee county to $5,000 or more when you hire an attorney in a county with higher filing costs. Understanding where the money goes helps you budget realistically and identify which expenses are unavoidable.

Court Filing Fees

Filing fees for guardianship petitions are set at the county level, so the cost of filing the exact same petition varies dramatically across Pennsylvania's 67 counties.

Some benchmarks from specific counties: Beaver County charges $35 for the initial petition plus $40.25 in state court fees and $15 in automation fees, totaling roughly $90. Franklin County charges $75 for the petition plus approximately $51 in state and automation surcharges. Allegheny County charges $164.75 for the petition with state fees included.

Call the Clerk of the Orphans' Court in your county before filing. Many counties don't publish fee schedules online, and the numbers adjust periodically.

Expert Evaluation (Form G-06)

The G-06 expert report — a clinical evaluation by a licensed physician or psychologist — is required for every guardianship petition. Expect to pay $500 to $2,000 depending on the evaluator's practice, the complexity of the assessment, and whether the evaluation requires specialized neuropsychological testing.

Some families can reduce this cost by asking the individual's treating physician to complete the G-06, though the treating physician must be willing to address the specific functional domains the court requires (capacity for healthcare decisions, financial management, and daily living activities — not just a diagnostic summary).

Attorney Fees

Hiring a guardianship attorney in Pennsylvania typically costs $1,500 to $4,000 for an uncontested petition. Contested cases — where the alleged incapacitated person or a family member objects — can run significantly higher, sometimes $5,000 to $15,000 or more depending on the complexity and length of the proceedings.

Attorney fees are not strictly necessary. Pennsylvania allows family members to file guardianship petitions pro se (without an attorney). The forms are available through the Unified Judicial System's portal, and for straightforward, uncontested cases with cooperative family dynamics, self-filing is feasible.

The individual who is the subject of the petition must have appointed counsel under Act 61 of 2023 unless they have retained their own attorney. If the alleged incapacitated person cannot pay for counsel or the evaluation, the county must pay those costs.

Ongoing Annual Costs

After the court issues a guardianship decree, the guardian must file annual reports through the electronic Guardianship Tracking System (GTS). Filing through the GTS waives the standard paper-filing fees, which otherwise range from $10 to $25 per report depending on the county.

If the court requires the guardian of the estate to post a fiduciary bond, the annual bond premium is an additional ongoing cost. Bond premiums are typically calculated as a percentage of the estate's value — for small estates (common when the individual's only income is SSI), the cost is usually modest.

The Cost Comparison That Matters

Before committing to the guardianship process, consider the cost of alternatives. A durable power of attorney costs $0 to $300 (free if you use a template, more if drafted by an attorney). A statutory health care representative under Act 169 costs nothing — the default list applies when its conditions are met. A representative payee arrangement through Social Security requires only Form SSA-11 and an interview, with no filing fees.

These alternatives don't carry ongoing court-reporting obligations or annual filing fees, making them significantly cheaper over the long term.

The Pennsylvania Adult Guardianship & Alternatives Guide includes a cost-comparison framework and step-by-step instructions for both the guardianship petition and each less restrictive alternative.

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