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Private deputy in Geneva: a professional to protect your loved ones

Administrative and financial management, formalities and follow-up, supervised by the Geneva Adult and Child Protection Court

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A private deputy in Geneva for someone who needs support

Your mother no longer opens her mail, a relative is piling up unpaid bills, or you feel that your own affairs are becoming too much to handle. These situations often arrive without warning. A deputyship (curatelle in Swiss law, sometimes translated as guardianship or curatorship) protects the person concerned without taking away more independence than necessary.

Family Office Geneva offers its services as a private deputy in Geneva. Banks, insurers, taxes, paperwork: this is the daily work of our family office in Geneva. We put this expertise at the service of the protected person, discreetly and strictly within the framework set by the court.

One important point: a deputy is not hired like a service provider. It is the Geneva Adult and Child Protection Court (TPAE) that decides on the measure and appoints an individual who is fit for the task. We explain how to propose someone and what the court expects.

Adult daughter helping her elderly mother sort her mail at the living room table

Does a loved one need help? Let’s talk about their situation, in complete discretion.

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Our private deputy service: what we take care of

The tasks always depend on the mandate set by the TPAE.

Deputy checking invoices and a bank statement at a desk

Administrative and financial management

Paying bills, monitoring accounts, taxes, insurance, pensions: we keep the budget under control and make sure the protected person has the money they need for daily life. Assets are managed with care, and accounts are kept regularly and submitted to the TPAE.

Deputy accompanying an elderly person to an appointment in an office

Formalities and representation

Where the mandate provides for it, the deputy acts as the person’s legal representative with banks, insurers, public authorities and care institutions. The deputy replies on their behalf, signs what needs signing and follows each file through to the end. Relatives no longer have to chase every counter.

Deputy talking with a family around a table in a living room

Support and contact with relatives

A deputy does more than manage paperwork. The deputy keeps the person concerned informed, takes their wishes into account and makes sure they keep as much independence as possible. We also stay in touch with the family, respecting what the person wishes to share.

Let’s talk about your situation

Contact us using this form or by phone: we will call you back quickly to discuss your needs.

When is a deputyship necessary?

The Swiss Civil Code provides for a deputyship when an adult is partly or wholly unable to look after their own interests because of a mental disability, a mental disorder or another similar weakness. It can also be established in the event of a temporary loss of capacity of judgement or an absence, if matters have to be dealt with and no representative has been appointed.

In practice, it comes up when a person can no longer manage their everyday affairs and help from relatives or from private and public services is no longer enough. The burden the situation places on the family also counts. The measure remains limited to the areas where it is needed: the TPAE always chooses the least restrictive option possible.

The four types of deputyship in Geneva

There is not just one deputyship but four types, adapted to each person’s real needs. The first three can be combined.

  • Assistance deputyship: advice and support, at the request of a person who has capacity of judgement (sometimes called a voluntary deputyship). It does not limit the exercise of their civil rights.
  • Representative deputyship: the deputy acts for the person concerned in certain matters. It can cover the management of their assets.
  • Cooperative deputyship: certain acts can only be concluded with the deputy’s agreement.
  • General deputyship: help in every area of life, with the withdrawal of the exercise of civil rights. It is the heaviest measure and corresponds to the former guardianship.

Relative, private deputy or official deputy: the court’s choice

In Geneva, the TPAE can appoint a relative, a professional private deputy such as a lawyer, an accountant or a social worker, or a deputy from the Adult Protection Office (OPAd). Joint deputyship is also possible, with a professional for the financial side and a relative for the social side.

If the person concerned proposes a deputy, the TPAE accepts on three conditions: that person agrees, has the necessary skills and knowledge, and is in a sound financial position. The family’s wishes are taken into account as far as possible. A private deputy is particularly useful when no relative can take on the role, or when the assets require ongoing management.

The procedure before the Protection Court

  1. The report. The person concerned, a relative or a professional writes to the TPAE: a signed letter, in French, setting out the facts, the people involved and, if you have one, the proposed deputy.
  2. The investigation. The TPAE assesses the situation and may ask for further information. In urgent cases, it can take provisional measures.
  3. The hearing. The person concerned is heard, unless their health does not allow it. A deputy can be appointed to represent them during the proceedings.
  4. The decision. If a measure is necessary, the TPAE establishes it and appoints the deputy.
  5. The follow-up. The TPAE supervises the mandate through reports and accounts, and can give instructions.

If a person is in immediate danger, do not send a letter: call 117.

Remuneration of a private deputy in Geneva

Remuneration is set by a cantonal regulation. A non-professional relative normally acts free of charge, unless the protected person’s financial situation allows the TPAE to decide otherwise. The remuneration of a professional private deputy is taken from the assets of the person concerned and set by the TPAE on the basis of a detailed statement.

The hourly rate depends on the profession. For day-to-day management, it is for example 120 francs for a fiduciary and 200 francs for a notary. Depending on the circumstances, a different rate may apply. The TPAE can also charge the remuneration to the State of Geneva when there is a reason not to appoint an official deputy.

Official documents (in French):

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Frequently asked questions about private deputies in Geneva

🕊️ Does a person under deputyship lose all their rights?

No. They keep their rights in the areas not covered by the measure, except under a general deputyship. They also have the right to be heard and to take part in the proceedings, unless their condition does not allow it. Every TPAE decision states the available appeals and time limits.

🔄 Can the deputy be changed or the deputyship lifted?

A measure can be adapted or lifted if the situation changes. The person concerned, their relatives or the deputy can ask for a review. If there are difficulties, it is best to start by talking to the deputy, then to refer the matter to the TPAE if the problem persists.

🏠 Can the deputy sell a property?

Not alone. The sale of real estate is one of the acts that in principle require the consent of the adult protection authority. The same applies, for example, to terminating the lease on the person’s home or dissolving their household.

📝 Can you plan ahead to avoid a deputyship?

Yes. A lasting power of attorney (mandat pour cause d’inaptitude) lets you name in advance the person who will look after your affairs if you lose your capacity of judgement. It is not a measure ordered by the TPAE, but your own choice, made while you are still able to express it.