How should a guardian handle conflict of interest?

• A. Act in guardian's own interest.
• B. Avoid situations where personal interests conflict with the ward's interests; disclose conflicts and seek guidance or removal if needed.
• C. Ignore conflicts.
• D. Report to court only if asked by ward.

Answer: (B)

Guardians have a fiduciary duty to put the ward’s interests first and to avoid anything that could improperly benefit the guardian personally. When a situation could create a personal gain for the guardian, that’s a conflict of interest. The correct approach is to avoid such situations and, if a potential or actual conflict exists, to disclose it promptly to the court or supervising agency and seek guidance. If the conflict cannot be managed to protect the ward, the guardian should seek removal or substitution to prevent harm to the ward’s interests. This approach preserves transparency, maintains trust, and ensures decisions are made in the ward’s best interests. Acting for personal gain, ignoring conflicts, or waiting for the ward to raise concerns all undermine the guardian’s duty and can harm the ward.