Arizona Department of Veterans' Services - Fiduciary Program

The Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services should consider phasing out its fiduciary program or increasing fees to more fully cover the program’s costs. The Department acts as a guardian or conservator to manage the affairs of veterans who can no longer care for themselves. However, three factors suggest that the program could be phased out. Specifically, the Department is not statutorily required to provide fiduciary services, it has struggled to effectively provide these services, and other public and private fiduciaries are available that can provide the same services. If the Department decides to keep the program, it should consider increasing fees to more fully cover the program’s costs. In addition, the Department should address several operational deficiencies in the program that affect its ability to appropriately manage clients’ affairs.