What is Permanent Guardianship & Why Does It Matter?
What is permanent guardianship? The importance of selecting a viable guardian early in a child’s life cannot be understated. In the event a parent passes prematurely or becomes unable to deliver the caregiving needs of a minor child, having a responsible and loving family member or trusted friend ready may prove invaluable. Without someone who…
What is a Guardian Ad Litem?
What is a guardian ad litem? A guardian ad litem represents the best interests of a child in court. A guardian ad litem can also represent an adult who is incapacitated or has diminished mental capacity. What’s the Difference Between a Guardian ad Litem and an Attorney? A guardian ad litem does not perform the…
How To Prevent My Child from Becoming a Ward of the Court
How can you prevent your child from becoming a ward of the court? If something happens to you and you’re unable to care for your children, the court system may step in. Making a child a ward of the court is only a last resort. If you’ve already made other arrangements, the court system would…
What Do I Need to Know about a Power of Attorney in WA State?
What do you need to know about a power of attorney in Washington state? A power of attorney gives a loved one the legal authority to handle your healthcare, financial, or other important decisions for you if you’re unable to. This can help you both during major life events when you need extra help or…
How Should I Plan for Temporary Guardianship in My Family Protection Plan?
How should you plan for temporary guardianship? A temporary guardian assumes the role for a limited amount of time. You may need sudden medical care, or if you’re no longer able to care for your children, you may need someone to step in while the permanent guardian prepares to take on their role. To ensure…
What to Know During the Guardianship Nomination Process
Do you know about the guardianship nomination process? If something happened to you and you were unable to take care of yourself or your children, who would step in? Ideally, it would be someone you chose. Nominating a guardian before something happens allows you to do just that. What Is a Guardian? Think back to…
10 Tips to Finding an Elder Law Attorney You Can Trust
Do you need to find an elder law attorney you can trust? 1 out of 10 older people experiences a form of abuse. It could come from inexperienced caregivers. But, there are also people who will take advantage of anyone for their own gain. They target people unable to care for themselves or that suffer…
Five Common Questions About Estate Planning
Here are five of the most common estate planning questions. While estate planning is not the most exciting thing to think about, it is necessary to make sure your children and family members are taken care of and your assets get distributed according to your wishes. Do not get overwhelmed by the estate planning process….
What Are the Duties of a Guardian?
A guardian is appointed by you or a judge to make sure your children are adequately cared for if you pass away or no longer can perform your duties. In essence, it is up to them to provide the child with the same necessities and privileges that they would expect to receive if you were…
Temporary Guardianship-Who Will Step in If You Can’t Be There?
Most parents have a plan in place for seeing that their children are cared for if they die. What is often overlooked is what will happen to their children should they become temporarily incapable of caring for them and only need someone to step in and take over parental duties for a short time. Short…