South Carolina § 62-5-423 - Distributive duties and powers of conservator.

§ 62-5-423. Distributive duties and powers of conservator.

(A) A conservator may expend or distribute sums from the estate without further court authorization for the health, education, maintenance, and support of the protected person and his dependents in accordance with the following principles:

(1) The expenditures must be consistent with a prior court-approved financial plan.

(2) The conservator shall consider recommendations relating to the appropriate standard of health, education, maintenance, and support for the protected person made by a parent or guardian. The conservator may not be surcharged for sums paid to persons or organizations furnishing health, education, maintenance, or support to the protected person pursuant to the recommendations of a parent or guardian unless the conservator has actual knowledge that the parent or guardian is deriving personal financial benefit from these payments, including relief from any personal duty of support, or unless the recommendations are clearly not in the best interests of the protected person.

(3) The conservator shall consider:

(a) the size of the estate, the probable duration of the conservatorship, and the likelihood that the protected person, at some future time, may be fully able to manage his affairs and the estate that has been conserved for him;

(b) the accustomed standard of living of the protected person and members of his household; and

(c) other funds or sources used for the support of the protected person.

(4) Funds expended under this subsection may be paid by the conservator to any person, including the protected person, as reimbursement for expenditures or in advance for services to be rendered to the protected person when it is reasonable to expect that they will be performed and where advance payments are customary or reasonably necessary under the circumstances.

(5) If the conservator determines that it is reasonably necessary to supply funds to the protected person, the conservator may provide these funds to the protected person through reasonable financial methods, including, but not limited to, checks, currency, debit card, or allowance. All funds so provided must be reported on the accountings as required by the court.

(B) After paying outstanding expenses of administration and any claims approved by the court, after meeting the requirements of Section 62-5-416, and after complying with any additional requirements established by the court, the conservator shall pay over and distribute all remaining funds and properties as follows:

(1) when a person who is incapacitated solely by reason of minority attains the age of eighteen or is emancipated by a court order, to the now-adult or emancipated protected person as soon as practical, unless a:

(a) protective order has been issued because the protected person is incapacitated; or

(b) protective proceeding or other petition with regard to the protected person is pending; a protected person under the age of eighteen who is married shall remain a minor for purposes of this subsection until attaining the age of eighteen or being emancipated by court order;

(2) upon an adjudication restoring capacity, to the former protected person as soon as practical;

(3) upon a determination by the court that the protected person's estate has a net aggregate amount of less than fifteen thousand dollars to or for the protected person as soon as practical pursuant to Section 62-5-103; or

(4) if a protected person dies, to the protected person's duly appointed personal representative or as ordered by the court.

HISTORY: 1986 Act No. 539, SECTION 1; 1990 Act No. 521, SECTION 83; 1997 Act No. 152, SECTION 25; 2000 Act No. 398, SECTION 10. Formerly Code 1976 SECTIONS 62-5-408 and 62-5-425, renumbered and amended by 2017 Act No. 87 (S.415), SECTION 5.A, eff January 1, 2019.