Colorado Guardianship Lawyers

Helping You Assign Guardianship

Do you need to assign someone as a guardian or conservator in your estate plan? If you have a young child who you want to make sure gets the right care if you are no longer around to provide it, you can name someone as the child’s guardian. You can also name a financial conservator for their money.

Assigning guardianship and conservatorship can be complicated, so you’ll want to make sure the person you name is up for the task. Before you start any legal processes, you should first consult with The Harris Law Firm and our Colorado guardianship attorneys. We can draw upon decades of collective legal experience to help you understand your options, how your choices affect your estate plan, and much more.

We care about your family’s future. Call (303) 622-5502 or submit an online contact form now.

Guardians, Conservators & Wards

When working on your estate plan and thinking of your family’s future, you should know about three potential parties:

• Wards: A ward is someone who requires the assistance or care of another party because they cannot act on their own behalf. Wards can be adults or children.
• Guardians: A guardian is appointed by the court and reports to the court with updates about the ward’s condition. Guardians are make decisions about the ward’s living conditions, medical care, and day-to-day life.
• Conservators: A conservator is appointed by the court and makes financial decisions on behalf of the ward. Conservators must make annual reports to the court about the ward’s financial situation.

Why Should You Establish a Guardian or Conservator?

You may wish to establish a guardian for yourself if you anticipate being unable to make your own decisions due to your advanced age or a healthcare complication that leaves you debilitated or unable to communicate clearly. You can also consider naming someone as the guardian of your children or dependents, to care for them when you are gone. 

For the same reason you may need a guardian, you may want to establish a conservator for yourself. Your conservator can be someone you personally know or a hired expert like a financial analyst or estate manager. What’s most important is that you feel like you can trust them with the management of your financial assets when you cannot make those decisions for yourself.

What the Court Needs to Establish a Guardian

To establish a guardianship or conservatorship, the court will want to know about the:

• Ward’s overall health and condition, as well as why they require a guardian and/or conservator.
• Guardian’s and/or conservator’s background through an official background check; conservators may be required to submit a credit history report.
• Relationship between the ward and the guardian/conservator and will likely appoint a visitor to officially check in on the relationship and report to the court during an official hearing.
• Plan to compensate the guardian and/or conservator for their services to the ward if any such compensation is to be arranged, which is not always necessary.

Get Answers About Guardianship – Call Today

Whether you need help picking a guardian or conservator to name in your estate plan or already have one chosen, The Harris Law Firm can help you with the next steps. We are here to walk you through the legal process from start to finish, so you can feel confident with your choice and the state of your estate plan overall.

We help clients across Colorado. Call (303) 622-5502 now.