What types of guardianships are there?
There are two types of guardians and guardianships. A guardian appointed to take care of the physical well-being of a ward is called a guardian of the person, while a guardian appointed to take care of the ward’s property is called a guardian of the estate. In some cases, only one type of guardian is appointed for a particular ward. In many cases, both a guardian of the person and a guardian of the estate are appointed for a ward. (Often, but not always, they are the same person.
• Guardianship of Estate: responsible for financial and estate matters only. • Guardianship of Person: responsible for non-financial decision making. • Guardianship of Person and Estate: a full guardianship of person and estate. Limited guardianship: the court can choose to let an incapacitated person retain any rights it feels he/she is capable of exercising on his/her own. Co-guardianship: can be of person, estate, or both. This is when two persons share the decision making responsibility equally.
