Guardianships & Conservatorships

If you need to become the legal guardian or conservator of a loved one, Lewis Law PLLC can help. When a loved one no longer has the ability to make their own decisions, they will need to have a legal guardianship in place. If a durable power of attorney was not established through estate planning prior to the incapacitation, an individual must file in court to become the legal guardian. If the person is simply no longer able to handle their financial affairs, a conservatorship is a less encompassing way to handle their money without making other decisions for the individual.

When a family member or friend isn’t available, the courts will appoint a trusted, qualified individual to act on the behalf of your loved one in the capacity of either a guardian or a conservator.

A guardian handles medical decisions, and can handle the financial business of the person they are taking care of. A more limited type of guardianship is the conservator, which is only allowed to handle money affairs. Both are responsible for creating detailed reports for the court to outline exactly where any money is going, what they are charging for services, and more. It’s important for both legal guardians and conservators to understand that they need to keep solid records of everything thing they do for the person they are in charge of.

You can prepare for your own future by naming a potential guardian or conservator now, before you become incapacitated yourself - contact Lewis Law, PLLC today.