Michigan Guardian Duties and Responsibilities

The court signed your guardianship order and handed you the Letters of Guardianship. You have the authority — now what exactly does Michigan expect you to do with it?

A guardian of a minor in Michigan takes on a specific set of legal duties. Some are day-to-day responsibilities you are probably already handling. Others are court obligations that can catch you off guard if nobody explains them.

Day-to-Day Care and Custody

Under Michigan's Estates and Protected Individuals Code (EPIC), a guardian of a minor has the powers and responsibilities of a parent regarding the child's care, custody, and control. A full guardian may consent to marriage or adoption; a limited guardian may not.

That means you are responsible for:

• Housing and physical safety. Providing a stable, safe home for the child.
• Education. Enrolling the child in school, attending conferences, making decisions about special education services, and signing school-related forms.
• Medical care. Consenting to medical treatment, dental care, mental health services, and vaccinations. You make the decisions a parent would make.
• Daily welfare. Food, clothing, transportation, supervision, and emotional support.

If the child has special needs — a disability, a chronic condition, therapeutic needs — your guardianship authority covers those decisions too.

Annual Reporting: SCAO Form PC 654

This is the duty most guardians learn about too late. Michigan law requires every guardian of a minor to file an Annual Report of Guardian on Condition of Minor (SCAO Form PC 654) with the probate court every year, within 56 days after the appointment anniversary, until the guardianship ends.

The PC 654 asks about:

• The child's current address and living situation
• The child's physical and emotional health
• Educational progress and school placement
• Services the child is receiving
• The guardian's assessment of the child's overall welfare
• Any significant events during the reporting period

Filing is not optional. A court that does not receive the annual report can schedule a review hearing, appoint a court investigator, or in serious cases question whether the guardianship should continue.

Financial Responsibilities

A guardian of the person (as opposed to a conservator of the estate) does not manage the child's assets or inherit a trust. But you still have financial responsibilities:

• Applying for benefits the child is entitled to. Medicaid, Child-Only FIP grants through MDHHS, the Guardianship Assistance Program (GAP), school lunch programs, and any other public benefits the child qualifies for.
• Not commingling funds. Any money received on behalf of the child — Social Security survivor benefits, child support payments, GAP subsidies — must be used for the child's needs.
• Reporting to the court about the child's financial status as part of the annual report.

If the child has significant assets (an inheritance, a lawsuit settlement, life insurance proceeds), the court may appoint a separate conservator to manage those funds. The guardian and the conservator can be the same person, but they are separate legal roles with separate reporting requirements.

Cooperating With the Court

The probate court retains oversight of your guardianship. That means:

• Responding to court inquiries. If the court orders a home visit, a review hearing, or a Guardian ad Litem investigation, you must cooperate.
• Reporting changes. Notify the court of the child's new address within 14 days after a change of residence. Follow your order and the court's instructions for other updates. If you move out of the county, ask the probate court whether a transfer is needed.
• Not exceeding your authority. A limited guardian cannot consent to the child's adoption or marriage. A limited guardian must also stay within the boundaries of the Limited Guardianship Placement Plan.

When You Need to Go Back to Court

Certain changes require a new court order rather than a unilateral decision:

• Moving the child out of state, if the guardianship order or court requires approval
• Changing the terms of a limited guardianship placement plan
• Resigning as guardian
• Requesting that the guardianship be terminated because the parent is ready to resume care

None of these can be done informally. A handshake agreement with the parent does not end a court-ordered guardianship.

Our Michigan Guardianship and Custody Court Process Guide walks through every stage, from the decision to file through post-appointment duties like the PC 654 annual report, so you know exactly what the court expects from day one.

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