What is the difference between guardianship and power of attorney?

The difference between guardianship and power of attorney are important to understand in California law. Guardianship is a legal relationship between an adult and a minor that gives the adult legal authority to take care of the minor’s daily and long-term needs. The guardian must manage the minor’s financial affairs, arrange for appropriate medical care, provide a safe living environment, and generally make decisions and act in the best interests of the minor. Power of attorney is a legal document that grants another individual the legal authority to act on behalf of a person. This document is used to delegate certain duties or to give someone else the right to act on behalf of the individual granting the Power of Attorney. The power of attorney can be general, giving the agent broad powers to act on behalf of the principal, or limited, granting specific power to act in specific circumstances. The agent may only have the authority to act during the principal’s life, or the document may contain language that allows the agent to act even after the principal’s death. In summary, the main difference between guardianship and power of attorney is that guardianship gives an adult authority over a minor’s daily and long-term needs, while power of attorney gives an agent legal authority to act on behalf of a principal in specific circumstances.

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What is the difference between guardianship and power of attorney?

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