NCG Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield NCG facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. If a ward refuses medical treatment that the guardian believes is necessary, what is the appropriate action? → Consult with medical professionals and the court to determine legal and ethical next steps
2. When making medical decisions for a ward, what should a National Certified Guardian prioritize? → The ward’s known preferences and best interests
3. In many states, a guardian who wants a ward admitted involuntarily to a psychiatric hospital must: → Use the state's civil commitment process or get specific court authority
4. A person under guardianship who still has the right to vote asks for help registering. What is the guardian's best response? → Help the person register and get to the polls or vote by mail
5. What documentation standard applies to dispute resolution? → Comprehensive written documentation of all significant actions and communications
6. How does due diligence apply to dispute resolution? → Thorough investigation and verification of all relevant facts and circumstances
7. Which document expresses a person’s health care preferences? → Advance directive
8. How should confidentiality be maintained in client advocacy? → Protect all privileged information unless authorized disclosure applies
9. A researcher asks the guardian to enroll the ward in an experimental drug study. The guardian generally should: → Consider the ward's wishes and get court authorization where required before consenting
10. A ward's annual accounting shows the guardian paid her own fees without the required court approval. What is the likely consequence? → The court may require repayment and could sanction or remove the guardian
11. What is the court’s role after appointing a guardian? → Supervise guardian’s performance
12. What initiates the legal process of guardianship? → Petition for guardianship
13. What documentation standard applies to documentation standards? → Comprehensive written documentation of all significant actions and communications
14. A guardian's personal religious beliefs conflict with a treatment the ward would have wanted. The guardian should: → Make the decision the ward would have made, or seek to withdraw if they cannot
15. What documentation standard applies to procedural requirements? → Comprehensive written documentation of all significant actions and communications
16. An organizational Social Security representative payee that collects a fee for service must: → Be authorized by SSA and charge no more than the SSA-set limit
17. A ward's daughter offers to buy the ward's car for well below market value. What should the guardian do? → Decline unless a fair market sale is approved, since below-value sales harm the estate
18. What is the most appropriate action a guardian should take when managing a ward’s bank account? → Maintain a separate account in the ward’s name with proper documentation
19. In many states, a ward under guardianship keeps the right to marry unless: → The court has specifically removed that right
20. A guardian wants to sell the ward's house to pay for long-term care. What is generally required? → Court approval, a fair market valuation, and consideration of the ward's wishes
21. Under the least restrictive alternative principle, a guardian's compliance obligation includes: → Periodically assessing whether limited guardianship or restoration is appropriate
22. Under the NGA Standards, a guardian should generally visit the person under guardianship at least how often? → Monthly
23. A guardian receives a notice that the ward's Medicaid redetermination is due. Failure to respond could result in: → Loss of Medicaid coverage for the ward
24. When the person's wishes cannot be determined and there is no prior expression of values, the guardian should decide using: → The best interest standard
25. A guardian deposits a client's Social Security check into the guardian's personal account temporarily for convenience. This is an example of: → Commingling of funds, which is prohibited
26. Which financial tool helps track the ward’s income and expenses? → Budget
27. The Medicaid look-back period for asset transfers when applying for long-term care in most states is: → 60 months
28. An estate guardian finds a $40,000 sum sitting in a non-interest-bearing checking account for a ward with low living expenses. What is the best practice? → Invest prudently according to the prudent investor standard and any court rules
29. A ward moves to another state. Which uniform act helps courts address transfer and recognition of the guardianship? → Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act (UAGPPJA)
30. How should conflicts of interest be handled in case analysis? → Identify, disclose, and either obtain informed consent or decline the matter