Can I still become (or stay) the representative payee for disability benefits if I’m also filing for guardianship? NC

Can I still become (or stay) the representative payee for disability benefits if I’m also filing for guardianship? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, filing for guardianship does not automatically prevent someone from becoming or staying a representative payee for disability-related benefits. The key is that the payee decision is usually made…

What medical letters or records do I need to prove my adult child isn’t able to make medical and financial decisions? NC

What medical letters or records do I need to prove my adult child isn’t able to make medical and financial decisions? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a guardianship case is proven with evidence that an adult lacks enough capacity to manage personal affairs (medical decisions) and/or property (money) or to communicate important…

What are my rights to get information and raise concerns about medication changes and medical decisions while my parent is under a court-appointed guardian? NC

What are my rights to get information and raise concerns about medication changes and medical decisions while my parent is under a court-appointed guardian? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, once a parent is adjudicated incompetent and a court-appointed guardian of the person (or general guardian) is in place, that guardian generally has…

What notices and paperwork must be served on my child, and are there options to protect their privacy during the process? NC

What notices and paperwork must be served on my child, and are there options to protect their privacy during the process? – North Carolina Short Answer In a North Carolina guardianship case, the court generally requires formal service of the guardianship application and written notice of the hearing on the people the statute lists, and…

Once guardianship is granted, what ongoing duties, reporting, and accounting are required, and to what extent can guardians make medical decisions and manage finances? NC

Once guardianship is granted, what ongoing duties, reporting, and accounting are required, and to what extent can guardians make medical decisions and manage finances? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, once a guardian is appointed, the guardian must follow the clerk of superior court’s orders and keep the ward’s personal care and finances…

Are there alternatives to guardianship, like power of attorney or supported decision‑making, that might work instead? NC

Are there alternatives to guardianship, like power of attorney or supported decision‑making, that might work instead? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, a full guardianship is not always the only option, and the court can sometimes approve a limited, targeted solution instead of appointing a guardian. Common alternatives include properly signed powers…

If my adult child improves over time, how can a limited guardianship be modified or ended, and what happens to guardianship if the parents pass away? NC

If my adult child improves over time, how can a limited guardianship be modified or ended, and what happens to guardianship if the parents pass away? – North Carolina Short Answer In North Carolina, a limited guardianship can be changed if the adult child’s capacity improves, and it can end if the adult child is…

Can the court give limited guardianship so the guardian only handles certain decisions instead of everything? NC

Can the court give limited guardianship so the guardian only handles certain decisions instead of everything? – North Carolina Short Answer Yes. In North Carolina, the clerk of superior court can tailor a guardianship so the guardian handles only certain areas (for example, finances but not personal decisions), instead of appointing a general guardian over…