age for legal guardianship
Whocan file a petition for Guardianship? An adult relative or family friend, a child-protective agency or if the infant is over the age of 14 years, the infant (child), can petition the court to be appointed as the guardian or standby guardian of a child. By appointing guardians you can ensure that your children are looked after by the people that you have chosen as the best people for the job. How to Appoint Guardians. To appoint legal guardians for your children, you must name them as your chosen guardians in your Will. Before doing this you will need to approach the people you would like to appoint as guardians to find out whether they are willing and able to take on this responsibility. A legal guardian undertakes responsibility for the welfare of someone, known as a ward, who is unable to undertake these responsibilities on his own behalf. A ward may be either a minor whose parents cannot or will not care for him, or an adult suffering from an incapacity that prevents him from meeting his own needs. A guardian can be appointed only by court order. Missouri's guardianship laws are found in Chapter 475 of the Missouri Revised Statutes. Step 1. Obtain a Petition for Appointment of a Guardian and Conservator from the court clerk of the Probate Division of the Circuit Court in the county where the proposed ward lives. There are different petitions, depending on whether the ward is a minor or an incapacitated adult. When choosing a legal guardian, consider these factors: The guardian must be of legal adult age in your state (usually 18) Be sure that the legal guardian has a genuine interest in your children's welfare. The legal guardian must physically be able to fulfill the responsibilities. The legal guardian must have enough time to care for your children. Report Abuse. It can be anywhere from 18 to age 25 depending on the situation and the state. A legal guardian takes the place of a parent and has nearly all rights of a parent within limits. Some situations may require the approval of a judge to do such as move out of state or county etc. Legal age to become Legal Guardian in the State of Washington for niece (infant) and her 16 yr old sister (mother of baby). Longview, WA | January 1, 2009 10:43pm. I work for Catholic Community Services inFamily Preservation Services in Washington State. There is a difference between a parent and a legal guardian but not a legal one. They serve the same purpose one has a different social meaning. In general, at least in Pennsylvania, it is a person over the age of 18 whom the Court finds acceptable. Persons not qualified to be appointed by the court, 20 Pa.C.S.A. Normally, Guardianship of the person of a minor are filed in the Family Court. The Surrogate and/or the County Court has the power over the property of an infant and is authorized and empowered to appoint a guardian of the person or of the property or of the person and property. We are dealing with health insurance - and coverage eligibility. An employee has a niece that (s)he has guardianship over. We just need to know when this would end -- if it is when she is 18, she would no longer be eligible to be covered under the employee's health insurance. If it ends at age 21, she could remain covered. Ask a similar question.
18 years old.