6. To obtain approval from the court to litigate matters concerning guardianship assets.

7. To file a final accounting upon termination of the guardianship. This should detail all property and income received and all expenses paid, with receipts to verify each expenditure.

A guardian is obliged to encourage self-reliability and independence of the protected person and to consider recommendations relating to the appropriate standard of support.

You must protect and preserve the protected person’s property and conserve any property of the protected person in excess of the protected person's needs. Accurate accounts must be kept and guardianship funds should never be combined with your personal funds.

You may not make expenditure of investments from guardianship funds without court approval. Unauthorized use of guardianship assets may result in personal liability and/or criminal prosecution.

If any questions arise during the guardianship, you should consult with your attorney.

You have just taken an oath to faithfully discharge your duties as a guardian. This oath was intended to impress upon you that you have been placed in a position of the utmost trust and responsibility.

Most guardians are given the power and duty to handle an incompetent person's financial affairs. Occasionally, however, the court appoints a guardian when the incapacitated adult or minor has no assets or the powers granted the guardian do not encompass the property of the incapacitated person. If your appointment does not include control of any financial affairs, then your duties are limited to the specific purpose for which the guardianship was established.

Most of the remainder of this guide pertains to guardians who are appointed for the purpose of managing the property of a protected person. The specifics of your duties to handle the protected person's property will be discussed shortly, but you'll go a long way toward success by simply remembering that the property you will be handling is not your own. You must handle the property of the protected person as you would have the protected person handle your property.

II. SPECIFIC DUTIES

The person over whom you have been appointed guardian is under some disability which prevents them from competently handing his financial affairs. Your job is to handle this aspect of life for them. There's really nothing mysterious about what you'll be doing. Just as you personally have an income, pay bills, buy clothing and pay taxes, the protected person will in all likelihood have an income, owe bills, need