Conservatorships occur when a conservator is appointed by the court to manage an adult’s estate or make personal decisions for the adult. The two types of conservatorship are:
- Conservatorship of the person
- Conservatorship of the estate
Guardianships occur when a guardian is appointed by the court to manage a minor’s estate and make personal decisions for the minor. Often a guardianship becomes necessary when a minor is disabled, orphaned or inherits money.
Essentially, guardianship legally formalizes the care-giving responsibility that has been taken on by a guardian without completing a full-blown adoption. The two types of guardianships are:
- Guardianship of the person — addresses personal decisions
- Guardianship of the estate — addresses financial decisions
One guardian can handle both or a separate guardian can be appointed for each.