(a) Except as provided in subsection (c), when the minor for whom a guardian of the person is serving reaches the age of eighteen (18) years of age, the guardianship of the person of the minor shall terminate.
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 34-2-106

  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Court: means any court having jurisdiction to hear matters concerning guardians or conservators. See Tennessee Code 34-1-101
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Minor: means any person who has not attained eighteen (18) years of age and who has not otherwise been emancipated. See Tennessee Code 34-1-101
  • Person: means any individual, nonhuman entity or governmental agency. See Tennessee Code 34-1-101
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b)

(1) When the minor for whom a guardian of the estate of the minor is serving reaches eighteen (18) years of age, the guardianship shall terminate.
(2) Any interested person, including, but not limited to, the guardian of the estate of the minor, may, not more than ninety (90) days before the minor reaches eighteen (18) years of age and not later than the filing of the preliminary final accounting, petition the court to continue the guardianship for a period of time not to extend beyond the person’s twenty-fifth birthday. A copy of the petition shall be served on the minor or it must be shown that the minor has actual notice of the filing of the petition.
(3) The burden of demonstrating why the guardianship of the estate of such person should continue shall be on the person seeking the continuation of the guardianship. In determining whether to terminate the guardianship, the court shall consider whether the termination is in the best interest of the person, and the court shall consider the ability of the person to wisely manage and control the property irrespective of whether special needs exist. If the court so finds, the court shall continue the guardianship for a longer period of time not to extend beyond the person’s twenty-fifth birthday. The court may permit either the payment of a portion of the estate or the establishment of a distribution schedule upon request of any party. If the court does not continue the guardianship, in the discretion of the court the minor may receive attorneys’ fees from the person petitioning the court for continuation of the guardianship.
(4) Within sixty (60) days after the guardianship of the estate of the person terminates, the guardian shall file a preliminary final accounting with the court, which shall account for all assets, receipts and disbursements from the date of the last accounting until the date the guardianship of the estate terminates, and shall detail the amount of the final distribution to close the guardianship of the estate of the person. If no objections have been filed to the clerk’s report on the preliminary final accounting within thirty (30) days from the date the clerk’s report is filed, the guardian shall distribute the remaining assets. The receipts and final cancelled checks evidencing the final distribution shall be filed with the court by the guardian. When the evidence of the final distribution is filed with the court, and on order of the court, the guardianship proceeding for the estate of the person shall be closed. A final accounting may not be waived by the minor for whom the guardian of an estate is serving regardless of the age of the minor.
(c) If a minor for whom a guardian of the person or estate is serving has previously been determined to be a disabled person, when the minor reaches eighteen (18) years of age, the guardian shall automatically continue as conservator. If the guardian is the department of children’s services, this subsection (c) shall not apply.
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