The United States is experiencing a record number of individuals becoming senior citizens and reaching retirement age. As a result, there is also an increase in adult children having to make difficult decisions about the immediate and long-term care, finances and medical concerns for their aging parents and other loved ones. These decisions are made even more complex when elderly parents or loved ones face serious medical conditions or become incapacitated. By not making proper plans now, families face significant hurdles in making decisions for estate division, medical care, and other important issues.
Guardianship helps individuals manage the financial and medical affairs of their incapacitated or elderly loved ones. Guardianship gives adult children or other individuals the right to legally make decisions on behalf of their loved ones when they are unable to do so for themselves. This becomes especially important when there are decisions to be made regarding medical interventions or specific kinds of treatment or care. Guardianship ensures that elderly or incapacitated individuals can have dignified care without delays or complications for the surviving family members.
Guardianships can also be used to establish care and management over children born with severe disabilities, or adults injured in accidents that have lost the ability to care for themselves or make decisions for their well being. The guardian would be responsible for making decisions regarding medical care and/or finances.
In addition to establishing management of medical and health concerns, guardianship can help individuals manage the financial assets of loved ones who are unable to make legal or financial decisions on their own.
Guardianships are a complex legal process involving state probate courts, medical records, and required periodic reports to the probate court. For this reason, it is critical to have experienced and skilled legal representation at your side. The probate attorneys of Christiansen Law Firm can help individuals navigate the entire guardianship process, as well as those interested in establishing Power of Attorney, Temporary Guardianships, and Health Care Power of Attorney. Christiansen Law Firm provides comprehensive and expert legal services to ensure the needs of loved ones are fully met through guardianship. Contact our probate attorneys in Houston, Lufkin or San Antonio for more information or to schedule a consultation.