What a Professional Fiduciary Actually Does
A professional fiduciary steps into a role a family member would normally fill — but as a licensed, bonded outsider, hired specifically for situations where that’s actually the better option.
The roles a fiduciary can fill
- Agent under power of attorney — manages finances or health decisions under a document someone signed while they still had capacity.
- Trustee — manages assets held in a living trust according to its terms.
- Conservator — court-appointed to manage finances (conservator of the estate) or personal care decisions (conservator of the person) when someone has lost capacity and no valid power of attorney exists; see our conservatorship process guide.
- Executor/personal representative — settles an estate through probate after death.
When a family turns to a professional instead of a relative
- No family member is willing, able, or geographically close enough to take it on.
- Family conflict makes a neutral third party the only option everyone can accept.
- The estate or care situation is complex enough (multiple properties, a business, blended-family dynamics) to need professional-level attention.
- A court specifically orders an independent, non-family conservator due to a contested case.
What sets a professional fiduciary apart
In California, anyone acting as a fiduciary for a fee to more than a small number of clients must be licensed by the Professional Fiduciaries Bureau, complete continuing education, and carry a bond — a licensed fiduciary is accountable to the state, not just to the family that hired them.
Looking for one? See our Professional fiduciaries directory — every listing is a clearly-labeled, flat-fee placement, never a referral fee, never tied to whether you hire them.
How to choose and vet a professional fiduciary · Power of attorney vs. conservatorship · All guides