DO MY ELDERLY PARENTS NEED A GUARDIANSHIP?
Like many of my clients, I find myself “sandwiched” between raising my children and caring for my aging parents. So what do we do when our parents have reached the point where they cannot manage their personal and financial affairs?
In this post, I would like to discuss the imposition of a legal guardianship upon an elderly parent or loved one.
Florida law provides for a legal procedure whereby a person’s legal rights, such as the right to manage and dispose of property and make medical and health care decisions, can be delegated to a court appointed guardian. The appointment of a guardian should be, however, a measure of LAST RESORT. If a proper plan is put in place prior to your parent becoming incapacitated, then a guardianship will not be required in order for you to manage your parent’s affairs. However, planning to avoid a guardianship must be done WHILE A PERSON IS STILL CAPABLE OF DOING SO. If you find yourself in the position of caring for aging parents or loved ones, then don’t wait. Talk about things now, so that an already difficult situation is not further complicated by a costly guardianship.
