Illinois Guardianship Costs

The sticker price families hear first — usually a flat quote from a special needs attorney — doesn't capture the full cost of establishing and maintaining adult guardianship in Illinois. Between county-specific filing fees, mandatory GAL appointments, sheriff service charges, and ongoing annual compliance, the real number depends heavily on where you file and whether you hire an attorney.

County Filing Fees

Illinois probate courts don't charge a uniform fee. Each circuit clerk sets its own schedule, and the spread is wide:

Cook County's fees are significantly lower because its fee schedule distinguishes between person-only and estate guardianships. Collar counties like DuPage and Kane use flat filing structures that don't differentiate. If the petitioner or respondent is indigent, Illinois Supreme Court Rule 298 allows you to request a waiver of all filing, service, and court fees using Application for Fee Waiver (Form CCP 0380).

Attorney Fees

Private special needs planning attorneys in the Chicago area typically charge a flat fee of roughly $4,500 for an uncontested adult guardianship of the person and estate. If the case becomes contested — the person objects, a sibling files a competing petition, or an existing guardian faces removal — the billing structure usually converts to hourly rates of $300 to $500 per hour for attorneys and about $175 for paralegals, billed against an upfront retainer of $3,000 to $5,000. Standard probate hourly rates across urban Illinois markets range from $300 to $500.

A contested guardianship can easily run $10,000 to $15,000 or more.

Guardian ad Litem Fees

In Cook County, the court appoints a GAL in all estate guardianships and in person-only cases involving sensitive circumstances like residential placement decisions. For routine, uncontested matters, GAL fees typically range from $200 to $400. In contested or complex cases, GAL fees can climb significantly higher.

Sheriff Service and Citation Costs

Someone — a sheriff or licensed process server — must personally serve the summons on the person at least 14 days before the hearing. In Cook County, sheriff service costs $23.00 plus $0.40 per mile. Private process servers vary but typically charge $50 to $100 per service.

Surety Bond Premiums

For estate guardianship, a surety bond is mandatory and cannot be waived. The bond must be at least 1.5 times the value of the ward's personal estate with a corporate surety. Annual premiums on standard corporate surety bonds start at roughly $50 to $100 and are paid from the ward's estate.

For person-only guardianship, the court can waive the surety bond requirement.

Ongoing Annual Costs

Guardianship doesn't end at the hearing. Guardians of the person must file an annual report (Form CCP 0222). Estate guardians must file a detailed inventory within 60 days of appointment and annual accountings thereafter.

Some attorneys offer annual compliance programs — handling the reporting, court appearances, and document filing — for around $2,300 per year. Families who manage compliance themselves still face potential filing fees of about $25 in some counties for the annual report submission.

The Self-Represented Alternative

Filing pro se eliminates attorney fees entirely. Total out-of-pocket for a self-represented person-only guardianship in Cook County can be as low as $273 to $473 (filing fee + sheriff service + GAL), compared to $5,000+ with an attorney. The tradeoff is navigating county-specific procedural rules, e-filing requirements, and hearing preparation without legal guidance.

Before committing to the cost of guardianship, it's worth evaluating whether a less-restrictive and far less expensive alternative — like a supported decision-making agreement (no court involvement, no filing fees) or powers of attorney — would serve the young adult's needs. The Illinois Adult Guardianship & Alternatives Guide provides a structured decision framework and county-specific cost breakdowns to help families compare all the options.

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