The Chief Guardian’s Committee is a municipal authority whose primary task is to ensure that those who, due to old age or illness, cannot or may not take care of their everyday business, i.e. look after their property, monitor their rights, earn a living or meet their needs.
The Chief Guardian’s operations in general are protected by strong degree of confidentiality based on the Swedish Confidentiality Act. This means that everyone involved in the operations is bound by confidentiality.
The Chief Guardian’s Committee collaborates with other authorities including the social services department, health care service and the municipal care services.
A custodian (förmyndare) acts on behalf of children under 18 in matters relating to the child’s property. The parents are normally the children’s custodians. Inheritance, gifts, insurance compensation and property deals are examples of issues which require the involvement of the Chief Guardian’s Committee. If the child’s assets exceed eight times the base amount (around SEK 328,000) or if he/she owns property or a tenant-owner apartment, for example, the matter shall be recorded by the committee. The committee can also decide to register matters for other reasons.
A guardian (god man) helps their clients monitor their rights, administrate their property or give them personal care and attention. The task includes helping out with managing their finances and other property, paying bills, acting as a reprenstatuive for purchases etc. An executor but does not replace the client. Guardians shall also be temporarily appointed for lost children and for people who have disappeared and no one knows where they are or whether they still alive. A guardian shall also be appointed in the event of conflicting interests. Examples include cases where parents wish to borrow money from their children.
An executor (förvaltare) is appointed when the client is unable to look after him/herself or their property, and a guardian alone is incapable of meeting their needs.