Use real and recent observations of the person's ability to manage their finances. Below are a few commonly observed behaviors and suggestions on how to address issues.
Provide the person the opportunity to do routine daily / weekly shopping with assistance to consider intangible properties and secondary effects in order to prevent complications. Also, provide an opportunity for the person to manage routine weekly and monthly income and expenses with assistance to solve new problems, avoid harmful effects, and plan for future financial security.
The person may investigate new stores or purchase new products to see what they are like and will search in stores to locate desired items. They may compare prices but not consider secondary effects of purchasing, such as distance traveled, warranty, or qualitative differences of products. This may result in them having to return purchases frequently.
Overspending occurs often and behaviors are only altered after undesirable consequences have occurred. Someone will have to assist with product comparisons, identify intangible properties of objects and secondary effects of purchases on budget.
Monthly budget of routine expenses from past experience maybe identified without assistance but they may have trouble adhering to it.
Infrequent major expenses may not be planned for or small, incidental fees may not be accounted for. They are able to learn new banking procedures by following verbal and written instructions. They will require secondary effects related to money management explained by others (cost differences between cash and credit purchase, consequences of overdrafts). Priorities set for expenditures may not spontaneously consider the needs of others. They may argue with requests to adhere to budget or proper banking procedures. Problems (such as overdrafts) may be excused or minimized.