Guardianship

A guardian is appointed by a court when an individual, known as a ward, is unable to make or communicate medical decisions, financial decisions, or both.

Guardian of the Estate

A court appoints a guardian of the estate when an individual cannot make decisions related to their property or money. The guardian of the estate may be authorized to make changes to the member’s Wisconsin Retirement System account.

Guardian of the Person

A court appoints a guardian of the person when an individual cannot manage their personal care decisions. ETF cannot accept Letters of Guardianship of the Person for most members because they do not apply to ETF-administered benefits.

ETF can only accept Letters of Guardianship of the Person to provide health insurance for a person under 18 years old.

Communication and Account Decisions

After ETF accepts Letters of Guardianship for a member, ETF will direct all communications to the guardian and may no longer directly communicate with the member. The member may no longer be able to make changes to their WRS account.

ETF’s Role in Guardianships

ETF cannot advise you on the guardianship process. ETF can only provide information about how Letters of Guardianship can impact a WRS account. For information on the guardianship process, view the additional resources below or consult legal counsel.

Submit, Change, or Terminate Letters of Guardianship

Learn the steps to submit, change or terminate Letters of Guardianship.

What a Guardian Can Do

Each time a guardian makes a request on behalf of a member, ETF will review the Letters of Guardianship of the Estate. The request will be approved or denied based on the authority granted in the letters.

Additional Resources

Wisconsin State Law Library

Review key pages and resources related to guardianship.

Guardianship Support Center

Get information and assistance on issues related to adult guardianship, protective placement, advance directives, and more.