Planning for the future of your children or loved ones without you in it is not a task that anyone enjoys, but it’s a necessary one in many cases. Guardianships are designed to help care for your loved ones if you’re unable to. They can be created to care for minor children, adults with special needs or elderly relatives. No matter whom the arrangement will protect, a guardianship lawyer is necessary to help you navigate the legal requirements of creating a guardianship. A Peck Ritchey guardianship lawyer in Chicago can help you create, manage, change or terminate a guardianship.
Why You May Need A Guardianship Lawyer In Chicago
As mentioned above, there are three main situations in which guardianships are used: to care for minors, to care for adults who cannot care for themselves and to care for the aged who are also unable to care for themselves.
A guardianship is a court order that assigns a responsible person the job of making important life decisions for their wards (persons being protected by the guardianship) because they can’t do so on their own. They are common in cases where the ward is a minor with parents who are no longer living or who are unable to care for their children due to extenuating circumstances.
For parents with special needs children, talking with a guardianship lawyer in Chicago can help them plan for the future care of their child once they are unable to do so themselves. In these cases, the parents want to designate someone to care for or assist their child in decision-making, depending on the child’s specific needs. Some adults with special needs are capable of independent living but may need some help managing their finances, while others need around the clock care, for example. A guardianship lawyer in Chicago can help the parents determine what type of guardianship will best suit their specific situation.
Adult children with aging parents sometimes find themselves in the uncomfortable position of having to take control of their parents’ lives. A formal guardianship is a way to protect everyone’s interests. Since it is court-supervised, it ensures the parents’ best interests are being looked out for and it protects the guardian in decision-making if another relative raises questions or complains about the care given. These types of guardianships can be set up long before they are ever needed, with the full agreement of the parents and children, or they can be set up once it becomes obvious that the parent is unable to make sound decisions.
Responsibilities Of The Guardian
Every guardianship is different, just as every personal situation is different. There are several types of guardianships, but the specific responsibilities under each type vary from case to case. Some guardians have full control over decisions affecting their wards, while others only support and advise the ward in their decision-making and still others only manage the property or finances of the ward.
If you want to learn more about guardianships, contact Peck Ritchey at (312) 201-0900. An experienced guardianship lawyer in Chicago will be happy to discuss the options with you and help you get the process started.