Michigan Attorney General Urging Reforms on Appointing Guardians for Older Adults

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is calling for reforms to the state's process for appointing guardians to oversee the finances of seniors, reports MLive.com . She said the current system is excessively arbitrary, and lets too many people be assigned to one guardian. Nessel also cited the system as too complex for individuals to seek a change in guardians or resume control over their finances. She stressed these issues are increasingly important as baby boomers reach retirement age. Nessel warned seniors are a demographic ripe for financial abuse, as they tend to have substantial savings along with passive income — such as Social Security and pensions — and may be reliant on others to help with finances. However, she noted even if an individual makes a wise decision on granting power of attorney, "the probate court doesn't have to honor their choice." Nessel suggested an operational model for guardianship and conservatorship decisions similar to child custody cases, where judges are required to apply a specific rubric. She also wants to limit the number of cases that a professional guardianship can accommodate, and make it easier for a person to regain control of their finances.