The reason he should educate himself as to the law and his responsibilities is that, in many instances, he will be personally responsible for the discharge of the affairs properly. If he is unable to perform the task, or unwilling to undertake the work and risk, he can (of course) decline to do so.
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An anecdote regarding petty people and deceased persons:
I had a client, was guardian over her mom's person and estate; was always there for mom, showing up at the old-age home, brushing her hair, carefully watching over mom's money. Each year, at annual report time, judge asked why she was not taking a commission for her guardian duties, to which she was legally entitled. She always said that she needed to make sure that mom's money would last, that she was not doing it for the money, but for the love of her mom.
Towards the end, it was very hard work, very draining on her.
When, as inevitably occurs, mom passed, we filed her will for probate and (of course) brother, who lived in a distant state, suddenly appeared with his hand out, looking for his share of the estate. He had not visited (or helped with) mom in over six (6) years.
Before mom's assets passed into the estate, the guargianship had to be "wound up," and when the final accounting was presented to the court for approval, we got a call from the court coordinator, telling us that then judge required a live hearing with guardian/executor in attendance. I was afraid that something terrible had been uncovered by the court Auditor or, perhaps, I had grievously screwed up something or another.
As it turned out, the judge told us that he had read the guardianship file, front to back, as well as the Will (in which daughter and son took equally of the residue of the estate). Judge told us that he would not approve closing the guardianship and opening of probate unless and until the guardian made application for, and received from the guardianship assets, her commission for some minimum period (2, 3 years?).
When client told judge that she did not do it for the money, he told her that he was well aware of that, and was also well aware that brother, who had already filed a claim in the probate, had done nothing at all to care for mom. He said, in essence, "I will not release these guardianship funds into the probate estate and will not approve the final accounting, unless there is a commssion paid to the guardian, whose care and concern for her mother over the years the court recognizes and honors."
Some judges, I tell you, administer justice as well as law.
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PS- Brother was ****ed. Court told him to pound sand.
