2026 NATIONAL GUARDIANSHIP ASSOCIATION
EXAMINATION REVIEW QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Certified Guardian - ✔✔The Center for Guardianship Certification (CGC) administers
a national certification program for
guardians. Several states also have their own certification, registration or licensing
programs for
guardians, fiduciaries and conservators. While state laws vary regarding the
requirements for a guardian
to be appointed, the certification from the CGC sets a guardian apart from non-certified
guardians as
someone who has met nationally recognized requirements including a minimum level of
knowledge and
experience in guardianship services.
✔✔National Certified Guardian - ✔✔A National Certified Guardian designation is
granted to individuals who have met the minimum
eligibility standards for CGC Certification including the necessary training and testing
requirements. The designation must be renewed every two years as long as eligibility
and
continuing education requirements are met.
✔✔Clerk of Court - ✔✔A court officer responsible for filing papers, issuing process, and
keeping records of court proceedings as
generally specified by rule or statue.
✔✔Competence - ✔✔A basic or minimal ability to do something; qualify esp. to testify
<competence of a witness>
✔✔Competency - ✔✔The mental ability to understand problems and make decisions.
,✔✔Conflict of Interest - ✔✔Situations in which an individual may receive financial or
material gain or business advantage from a
decision made on behalf of another. Situations, which create a public perception of a
conflict of interest,
should be handled in the same manner as situations in which an actual conflict of
interest exists.
✔✔Court - ✔✔A governmental body consisting of one or more judges who sit to
adjudicate disputes and administer
justice.
✔✔Court Order - ✔✔A legal document issued by the court and signed by a judge.
Examples include a letter of guardianship;
spelling out directions for the care of the ward and the estate and authorization or denial
of a request for
action.
✔✔Court Required Report - ✔✔A report which the guardian is required by statute or
court order to submit to the court relative to the
guardianship.
✔✔Court Visitor, Monitor, Investigator - ✔✔A person appointed by the court to provide
the court with information concerning a ward or a guardian.
✔✔Dementia - ✔✔A category of disorders characterized by the development of multiple
cognitive deficits (including memory
impairment) that are due to the direct physiological effects of a general medical
condition, to the
persisting effects of a substance or to multiple etiologies (e.g., the combined effects of
cerebral vascular
disease and Alzheimer's disease).
✔✔Developmental Disability - ✔✔A severe, chronic disability of an individual 5 years of
age or older that:
A. Is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and
physical
impairments;
B. Is manifested before the individual attains age 22;
C. Is likely to continue indefinitely;
D. Results in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following areas of
major life
activity
1. Self-care
2. Receptive and expressive language
3. Learning
, 4. Mobility
5. Self-direction
6. Capacity for independent living
7. Economic self-sufficiency; and
E. Reflects the individual's need for a combination and sequence of events of special,
interdisciplinary, or generic services, supports, or other assistance that is of lifelong or
extended duration and is individually planned and coordinated.
✔✔Designation of Guardian - ✔✔A formal means of nominating a guardian before a
guardian is needed.
✔✔Direct Services - ✔✔Includes medical and nursing care, care/case management and
case coordination, speech therapy,
occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychological therapy, counseling, residential
services, legal
representation, job training and other similar services.
✔✔Disabled Person - ✔✔A person 18 years of age or older deemed by the Court to be
lacking sufficient understanding or capacity
to make or communicate responsible decisions concerning the care of his person or
financial affairs.
✔✔Estate - ✔✔Both real and personal, tangible and intangible, and includes anything
that may be the subject of
ownership.
✔✔Extraordinary Medical Circumstance - ✔✔Includes abortion, removal of life support,
sterilization, experimental treatment and other controversial
medical issues
✔✔Fiduciary - ✔✔An individual, agency or organization that has agreed to undertake
for another a special obligation of trust
and confidence, having the duty to act primarily for another's benefit and subject to the
standard of care
imposed by law or contract.
✔✔Free Standing Entity - ✔✔An agency or organization that is independent from all
other agencies or organizations.
✔✔Functional Assessment - ✔✔A diagnostic tool that measures the overall well-being
of an individual and provides a picture of how well
the person is able to function in a variety of multidimensional situations.
✔✔Guardian - ✔✔An individual or organization named by order of the court to exercise
any or all powers and rights over the
EXAMINATION REVIEW QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Certified Guardian - ✔✔The Center for Guardianship Certification (CGC) administers
a national certification program for
guardians. Several states also have their own certification, registration or licensing
programs for
guardians, fiduciaries and conservators. While state laws vary regarding the
requirements for a guardian
to be appointed, the certification from the CGC sets a guardian apart from non-certified
guardians as
someone who has met nationally recognized requirements including a minimum level of
knowledge and
experience in guardianship services.
✔✔National Certified Guardian - ✔✔A National Certified Guardian designation is
granted to individuals who have met the minimum
eligibility standards for CGC Certification including the necessary training and testing
requirements. The designation must be renewed every two years as long as eligibility
and
continuing education requirements are met.
✔✔Clerk of Court - ✔✔A court officer responsible for filing papers, issuing process, and
keeping records of court proceedings as
generally specified by rule or statue.
✔✔Competence - ✔✔A basic or minimal ability to do something; qualify esp. to testify
<competence of a witness>
✔✔Competency - ✔✔The mental ability to understand problems and make decisions.
,✔✔Conflict of Interest - ✔✔Situations in which an individual may receive financial or
material gain or business advantage from a
decision made on behalf of another. Situations, which create a public perception of a
conflict of interest,
should be handled in the same manner as situations in which an actual conflict of
interest exists.
✔✔Court - ✔✔A governmental body consisting of one or more judges who sit to
adjudicate disputes and administer
justice.
✔✔Court Order - ✔✔A legal document issued by the court and signed by a judge.
Examples include a letter of guardianship;
spelling out directions for the care of the ward and the estate and authorization or denial
of a request for
action.
✔✔Court Required Report - ✔✔A report which the guardian is required by statute or
court order to submit to the court relative to the
guardianship.
✔✔Court Visitor, Monitor, Investigator - ✔✔A person appointed by the court to provide
the court with information concerning a ward or a guardian.
✔✔Dementia - ✔✔A category of disorders characterized by the development of multiple
cognitive deficits (including memory
impairment) that are due to the direct physiological effects of a general medical
condition, to the
persisting effects of a substance or to multiple etiologies (e.g., the combined effects of
cerebral vascular
disease and Alzheimer's disease).
✔✔Developmental Disability - ✔✔A severe, chronic disability of an individual 5 years of
age or older that:
A. Is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and
physical
impairments;
B. Is manifested before the individual attains age 22;
C. Is likely to continue indefinitely;
D. Results in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following areas of
major life
activity
1. Self-care
2. Receptive and expressive language
3. Learning
, 4. Mobility
5. Self-direction
6. Capacity for independent living
7. Economic self-sufficiency; and
E. Reflects the individual's need for a combination and sequence of events of special,
interdisciplinary, or generic services, supports, or other assistance that is of lifelong or
extended duration and is individually planned and coordinated.
✔✔Designation of Guardian - ✔✔A formal means of nominating a guardian before a
guardian is needed.
✔✔Direct Services - ✔✔Includes medical and nursing care, care/case management and
case coordination, speech therapy,
occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychological therapy, counseling, residential
services, legal
representation, job training and other similar services.
✔✔Disabled Person - ✔✔A person 18 years of age or older deemed by the Court to be
lacking sufficient understanding or capacity
to make or communicate responsible decisions concerning the care of his person or
financial affairs.
✔✔Estate - ✔✔Both real and personal, tangible and intangible, and includes anything
that may be the subject of
ownership.
✔✔Extraordinary Medical Circumstance - ✔✔Includes abortion, removal of life support,
sterilization, experimental treatment and other controversial
medical issues
✔✔Fiduciary - ✔✔An individual, agency or organization that has agreed to undertake
for another a special obligation of trust
and confidence, having the duty to act primarily for another's benefit and subject to the
standard of care
imposed by law or contract.
✔✔Free Standing Entity - ✔✔An agency or organization that is independent from all
other agencies or organizations.
✔✔Functional Assessment - ✔✔A diagnostic tool that measures the overall well-being
of an individual and provides a picture of how well
the person is able to function in a variety of multidimensional situations.
✔✔Guardian - ✔✔An individual or organization named by order of the court to exercise
any or all powers and rights over the
