Overview

A legal guardian is a person appointed by the legal authority to provide care for personal and financial matters of another person, legally referred to as ward. There are times when a loved one is unable to care for him or herself. This could be a lifelong condition due to diminished mental capacity, or it could be something that started because of age, illness, infirmity, an accident, or any number of other reasons. When this happens, family members typically come together to help that person with their needs, and even help them to get into assisted living facility, if necessary. Simply providing for their care is a great kindness, but it is important to make sure that it is all handled correctly from a legal perspective.