Guardianships & Conservatorships

The idea behind guardianship can be divisive in some circles. There are people, especially those who are older or who struggle with significant health issues, that think of guardianships as unnecessary or even a way for the state, medical institutions or supportive...

When the Colorado probate courts appoint a conservator or a guardian, they allow one adult to take responsibility for and control over someone's daily life or finances. Frequently, the person serving as conservator or guardian will have a pre-existing relationship...

Your elderly relatives have spent decades ensuring that you and the rest of the family are looked after. At some point, however, there will come a time when these roles need to be reversed. While elderly people are often still highly independent, they can also be...

Advanced age or medical conditions can compromise someone's ability to take care of themselves. Often, issues with financial matters are an early warning sign of someone's declining ability to live independently. It can be difficult for an older adult or someone...

You have an autistic child, and you love them with all your heart. They’re high-functioning, so they don’t need a legal guardian to handle all major decisions for them. You are worried, however, how they may fare once they come into their inheritance from you – and...

If a guardian is chosen for an elderly individual who is incapacitated in some way, there could potentially be conflicts between what the two parties think is the best decision.  After all, that incapacitation may not mean that the elderly person is physically...

When you are potentially going to be the guardian for someone you care about, you may find that it is more complex than you thought just because you’re across state lines. When you cross state lines, rules and laws change. Determining jurisdiction may become a...

Some people mistakenly use the words guardianship and conservatorship interchangeably, as if they are exactly the same thing. The reason for this mistake is simple: These two types of legal situations do address a similar circumstance where an elderly person needs...

It's the middle of the night, and your phone rings. It's your mother's neighbor, calling to let you know that she suffered a stroke and is at the hospital. You rushed down, only to have a doctor sadly inform you that they can't talk about the specifics of her medical...

It’s difficult to watch a loved one go without the medical care and services they need -- especially when you realize that they’re in some sort of mental decline due to the ravages of age or disease. In that kind of situation, you may have to step forward and ask the...