Guardian's Report

There are all sorts of forms executors, beneficiaries, and probate court clerks have to fill out and correspond with during probate and estate settlement, including affidavits, letters, petitions, summons, orders, and notices.

Guardian's Report is a commonly used form within Ohio. Here’s an overview of what the form is and means, including a breakdown of the situations when (or why) you may need to use it:

Atticus Fast Facts About Guardian's Report

Sometimes it’s tough to find a quick summary— here’s the important details you should know about Guardian's Report:

• This form pertains to the State of Ohio

Government forms are not typically updated often, though when they are, it often happens rather quietly. While Atticus works hard to keep this information about Ohio’s Form 17.7 - Guardian's Report up to date, certain details can change from time-to-time with little or no communication.

Step 1 - Download the correct Ohio form based on the name and ID if applicable

Double check that you have both the correct form name and the correct form ID. Some Ohio probate forms can look remarkably similar, so it’s best to double, even triple-check that you’re using the right one! Keep in mind that not all States have a standardized Form ID system for their probate forms.

Step 2 - Complete the Document

Fill out all relevant fields in Form 17.7, take a break, and then review. Probate and estate settlement processes in OH are long enough to begin with, and making a silly error can push your timeline even farther back. No thank you!

Note: If you don’t currently know all of the answers and are accessing Form 17.7 online, be sure to avoid closing the browser tab and potentially losing all your progress (or use a platform like Atticus to help avoid making mistakes).

Step 3 - Have Form 17.7 witnessed or notarized (if required)

Some States and situations require particular forms to be notarized. If you have been instructed to get the document notarized or see it in writing on the document, then make sure to hire a local notary. There are max notary fees in the United States that are defined and set by local law. Take a look at our full guide to notary fees to make sure you aren’t overpaying or getting ripped off.

Step 4 - Submit Guardian's Report to the relevant office

This is most often the local probate court where the decedent (person who passed away) is domiciled (permanently resides) or the institution involved with this particular form (e.g. a bank). Some offices allow you to submit forms online, other’s don’t, and we while we generally recommend going in-person to expedite the process, sometimes that simply isn’t an option.

It’s also a generally good idea to establish a positive working relationship with any probate clerk (unfortunately there’s enough people & process out there making things more difficult and unnecessarily confusing for them), so a best practice is to simply ask the probate clerk proactively exactly how and where they’d prefer you to submit all forms.

Need help getting in touch with a local probate court or identifying a domicile probate jurisdiction?

👉 Find and Contact your Local Probate Court

👉 What is a Domicile Jurisdiction?

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Different probate forms or processes can require different deadlines or response times for completing the appropriate form.

While some steps in the process are bound to specific deadlines (like petitioning for probate, having to submit an inventory of assets, or filing applicable notices to creditors and beneficiaries), many probate forms or processes are not tied to a specific deadline since the scope of work can vary based on situational factors or requirements involved.

Either way, there are a bunch of practical reasons why personal representatives should work to complete each step as thoroughly and quickly as possible when completing probate in Ohio.

5 reasons you should submit 17.7 as quickly as possible:

1. The sooner you begin, the faster Ohio can allow heirs and beneficiaries to get their share of assets subject to probate. Acting promptly can also decrease the costs & overall mental fatigue through an otherwise burdensome process.
   
   Helpful Context: What’s the Difference Between Probate and Non-Probate Assets?

2. In general, creditors of an estate usually have around 3-6 months from the time you file notice to creditors to file any claims for debt against the deceased’s assets. If they don’t, then that debt is forfeited (and more importantly, the executor won’t be held personally responsible). So doing this sooner means you have a better idea of who is owed what and ensures you won’t get a surprise collector months later.

3. Not filing a will within 30 days (on average) could mean that the probate process proceeds according to intestate laws (laws that govern what happens to someone's stuff without a will) or is subject to unnecessary supervision by the probate court. And if you aren't directly related to the deceased (a.k.a. next of kin), this could also mean you lose your inheritance.

4. It’s important to file any necessary state tax returns on behalf of the deceased or estate by the following tax season in Ohio. If you don’t, you could owe penalties and interest. This also includes any necessary federal tax returns such as Forms 1040, 1041, or even a Form 706 estate tax return.

5. If a house in the State of Ohio is left empty (or abandoned) for a while, insurance can get dicey. For example, if the house burns down and no one has been there for a year, an insurance company may get out of paying your claim.

If you’re not using Atticus to get specific forms, deadlines, and timelines for Ohio probate, then try and stay as organized as possible, pay close attention to the dates mentioned in any correspondence you have with the State’s government officials, call the local Ohio probate clerk or court for exact answers regarding Form 17.7, and when in doubt— consult a qualified trust & estates lawyer for that area.

Guardian's Report is one of the many probate court forms available for download through Atticus.

It may also be available through some Ohio probate court sites, such as . In order to access the latest version, be updated with any revisions, and get full instructions on how to complete each form, check out the Atticus Probate & Estate Settlement software or consider hiring a qualified legal expert locally within Ohio.

While Atticus automatically provides the latest forms, be sure to choose the correct version of Form 17.7 - Guardian's Report f using any other site or resource in order to avoid having to re-complete the form process and/or make another trip to the Ohio probate court office.

Guardian's Report is a .pdf, so opening it should be as simple as clicking “View Form” from within the Atticus app or by clicking the appropriate link found on any Ohio-provided government platform. Once you’ve opened the form, you should be able to directly edit the form before saving or printing.

Here’s the text, verbatim, that is found on Ohio Form 17.7 - Guardian's Report. You can use this to get an idea of the context of the form and what type of information is needed.

PROBATE COURT OF _______________ COUNTY, OHIO _____________, JUDGE GUARDIANSHIP OF _________________________________________________________ CASE NO. __________ GUARDIAN'S REPORT [R.C. 2111.49 and Sup.R. 66.05(B)(2)] NOTE: If allotted space is inadequate to respond, write See Exhibit in the space and add appropriate exhibit letter sequence, then attach exhibit containing information requested for that space. 1. This is the (circle one) 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, or _________, Guardian's Report. 2. Ward's present address:_______________________________________________________________ City __________________________________ State ___________________ Zip Code_____________________Telephone Number (____)______________ 3. Ward's living arrangements at the above address are best described as: a. His or her own apartment or home (includes assisted living facilities.) b. Private home or apartment of: (1) the ward's guardian (2) a relative of the ward, whose name is _____________________________________ and relationship is ______________________________________________________ (3) a non-relative whose name is ___________________________________________ c. A foster, group, or boarding home. d. A nursing home. e. A medical facility or state institution. f. Other (describe) ___________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ g. If c, d, e, or f is checked, complete the following: (1) The name of the home, facility, or institution __________________________________ (2) The name of an individual at the home, facility, or institution who has knowledge and is authorized to give information to the court about the ward. Name ________________________________________________________________ Telephone Number (_____)_______________________________ 4. The ward will be at the address given in Item 2: a. Indefinitely. b. Temporarily. The new address and telephone number is: (1) Unknown. I will provide this information when known. (2) ______________________________________________________________________ City ______________________________________________ State __________________ Zip Code ________________ Telephone Number (____)___________________________ FORM 17.7 - GUARDIAN'S REPORT Amended: March 1, 2017 Discard all previous versions of this form [Reverse of Form 17.7] CASE NO.__________ 5. Guardian's contact with the ward. a. Approximate number of times the guardian had contact with the ward during the period covered by this report: _________________ b. The nature of those contacts (phone, personal, or other): ______________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ c. Date the ward was last seen by the guardian: _______________________________________ 6. Have you observed any major change in the ward's physical or mental condition during the period covered by this report? Yes No If yes is checked, briefly describe the changes.____________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 7. The care given to the ward is Adequate Not Adequate If Not Adequate is checked, explain. ____________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 8. The guardianship should be Continued Not Continued If Not Continued is checked, explain. ___________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ 9. During the period covered by this report, the ward has has not been seen by a physician. If the ward has been seen, the last date was _______________________________________________ and for the purpose of ____________________________________________________________________ 10. I currently serve as the guardian to ten or more wards and certify to the Court that I am unaware of any circumstances that may disqualify me from serving as guardian for this ward. 11. With regard to the continuing education requirement pursuant to Sup.R. 66.07: I have completed the continuing education requirement. (Attach Certificate of Completion if applicable) The continuing education requirement was waived. Attached is a statement by a licensed physician, a licensed clinical psychologist, a licensed social worker, or a developmental disability team, that has evaluated or examined the ward within three months prior to the date of this report regarding the need for continuing the guardianship. [R.C. 2111.49(A)(1)(I)](Form 17.1) If an attorney has been consulted on this report: Date _______________________________________ _____________________________________ ____________________________________________ Attorney for Guardian Guardian's Printed Name _____________________________________ ____________________________________________ Street Guardian's Signature _____________________________________ ___________________________________________ City State Zip Code Street _____________________________________ ____________________________________________ Telephone Number (include area code) City State Zip Code _____________________________________ ____________________________________________ Attorney Registration No. Telephone Number (include area code) (Knowingly giving false information on a Probate document is a criminal offense) [R.C. 2921.13(A)(11)] FORM 17.7 - GUARDIAN'S REPORT PAGE 2 Amended: March 1, 2017 Discard all previous versions of this form