FYI from Bernie. This may be important to many of you at one time or another. ----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, December 24, 2006 10:05 PM Subject: Guardianship Paul: I would like to know if you can tell me the age that a child has to be when he no longer needs a guardian to protect his interests. In other words what age can he be dropped off of a Guardian Bond. Your response will be greatly appreciated. Bernie Bland in Springfield, VA ---- Original Message ----- From: Paul Drake To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, December 25, 2006 10:10 AM Subject: Re: Guardianship Hi, Bernie. Your question is not an easy one. Every selection of a guardian, whether that choice is made by the child or by someone in that child's behalf, is and has always been subject to approval by that court that has general jurisdiction over that child. That said, quite usually the court will select an appropriate person, no matter the age of the child. However after age 12 a child may "choose" that guardian, and unless someone shows cause why that person selected by the child for whatever reason should NOT serve, he/she will be appointed. A bond in an amount determined by that court - based upon the value of the assets upon which that guardian may draw upon or that may come to the child through inheritance or otherwise - will be required. Notice that the court upon its own motion always may determine that the person chosen by the child should not serve. Guardianships quite usually end at age 21 and did so at common law, but again, peculiar circumstances, such as the marriage of the ward, a finding by the court that the ward is mentally not competent to care for its own affairs after coming of age, and rarely by reason of injury or disability, the age at termination of that guardianship may be less or more than 21. Hope this helps; there are NO absolute rules of law.