Iowa Code » Chapter 232D — MINOR GUARDIANSHIPS
Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 232D.503 (2026)

Termination and modification of guardianships

✓ current as of July 2026
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1. A guardianship shall terminate on the minor’s death, adoption, emancipation, or attainment of majority.

2. The court shall terminate a guardianship established pursuant to section 232D.203 if the court finds that the basis for the guardianship set forth in section 232D.203 is not currently satisfied unless the court finds that the termination of the guardianship would be harmful to the minor and the minor’s interest in continuation of the guardianship outweighs the interest of a parent of the minor in the termination of the guardianship.

3. The court shall terminate a guardianship established pursuant to section 232D.204 if the court finds that the basis for the guardianship set forth in section 232D.204 is not currently satisfied. A person seeking termination of guardianship established pursuant to section 232D.204 has the burden of making a prima facie showing that the guardianship should be terminated. If such a showing is made, the guardian has the burden of going forward to prove by clear and convincing evidence that the guardianship should not be terminated.

4. The court shall modify the powers granted to the guardian if the court finds such powers no longer meet the needs of the minor or are not in the minor’s best interest.

5. The court may conduct a hearing to determine whether termination or modification of a guardianship is appropriate on the filing of a petition by a minor fourteen years of age or older who is under guardianship, a guardian, or other person with an interest in the welfare of the minor or on receipt of a written communication from such persons.

6. If the court orders termination of a guardianship established under this chapter and the \n Tue Dec 09 22:21:03 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 232D (18, 0) §232D.503, MINOR GUARDIANSHIPS 12\n\nguardian has custody of any assets of a protected person who is a minor or was a minor at the time of the minor’s death, the court shall order delivery of the minor’s assets to the minor or to a fiduciary acting under one or more of the following:

a. A conservatorship established for the minor.

b. A personal representative appointed as a result of the minor’s death.

c. A uniform transfer to minor account established for the minor pursuant to chapter 565B or the laws of any other state.

d. A uniform custodial trust account established for the minor pursuant to chapter 633F or the laws of any other state.

e. A college savings plan account established for the minor pursuant to Internal Revenue Code section 529 or chapter 12D or the laws of any other state.

f. An ABLE account established for the minor with disabilities pursuant to Internal Revenue Code section 529A or chapter 12I or the laws of any other state. 2019 Acts, ch 56, §27, 44, 45; 2021 Acts, ch 8, §22; 2021 Acts, ch 174, §13 Referred to in §232D.501 \n

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 15 cases (14 in the last 5 years), 2020–2026 · leading case: In the Matter of the Guardianship of S.P.-G. (Iowa Ct. App. 2020).
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In the Matter of the Guardianship of S.P.-G. (Iowa Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 35× “Iowa Code section 232D.503 governs the termination of guardianships.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). · cites it 25× “§ 232D.503. If the guardian fails to meet that burden, the guardianship must be terminated as requested by the moving parent.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). · cites it 25× “§ 232D.503. If the guardian fails to meet that burden, the guardianship must be terminated as requested by the moving parent.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa Ct. App. 2021). · cites it 18× “Terminating the guardianship Iowa Code section 232D.503 governs the termination of guardianships.”
In re Guardianship of G.B. (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 17× “Termination Standard Iowa Code section 232D.503 sets out two tracks for terminating a guardianship—one to be used when the guardianship was established with parental consent under section 232D.”
In re Guardianship of E.B. (Iowa Ct. App. 2023). · cites it 13× “Accordingly, when interpreting Iowa Code section 232D.503, courts must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served in the parent’s custody as opposed to all others.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of A.K. & J.K. (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 12× “Iowa Code § 232D.503(2). Once a parent revokes her consent, the statutory basis for the guardianship no longer exists.”
In re Guardianship of R.T. (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 12× “” Iowa Code § 232D.503(1). D.L.T and R.G.T have adopted R.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of T.K., L.K., & S.K. (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 4× “Iowa Code § 232D.503(2). Once a parent revokes her consent, the statutory basis for the guardianship no longer exists.”
W.M. & W.D. (Iowa 2021). · cites it 2× “Mom would also be allowed to challenge the guardianship, see Iowa Code § 232D.503(3), further complicating that relationship.”
In the Interest of L.B., Minor Child (Iowa Ct. App. 2021). · cites it 2× “And termination of a guardianship is governed by section 232D.503(2) (“The court shall terminate a guardianship established pursuant to section 232D.”
In the Interest of P.S., Minor Child (Iowa Ct. App. 2022). · cites it 2× “In the future, should the court elect to close the CINA case and appoint a guardian pursuant to chapter 232D, if the father wanted to petition for termination then, Iowa Code section 232D.503 would govern that process.”
Show all 15 citing cases →
— Iowa Code § 232D.503(1) — 1 case
In re Guardianship of R.T. (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). “” Iowa Code § 232D.503(1). D.L.T and R.G.T have adopted R.”
— Iowa Code § 232D.503(2) — 10 cases
In the Matter of the Guardianship of S.P.-G. (Iowa Ct. App. 2020). “Iowa Code section 232D.503 governs the termination of guardianships.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “§ 232D.503. If the guardian fails to meet that burden, the guardianship must be terminated as requested by the moving parent.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “§ 232D.503. If the guardian fails to meet that burden, the guardianship must be terminated as requested by the moving parent.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa Ct. App. 2021). “Terminating the guardianship Iowa Code section 232D.503 governs the termination of guardianships.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of A.K. & J.K. (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). “Iowa Code § 232D.503(2). Once a parent revokes her consent, the statutory basis for the guardianship no longer exists.”
— Iowa Code § 232D.503(3) — 7 cases
In re Guardianship of G.B. (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). “Termination Standard Iowa Code section 232D.503 sets out two tracks for terminating a guardianship—one to be used when the guardianship was established with parental consent under section 232D.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of S.P.-G. (Iowa Ct. App. 2020). “Iowa Code section 232D.503 governs the termination of guardianships.”
In re Guardianship of E.B. (Iowa Ct. App. 2023). “Accordingly, when interpreting Iowa Code section 232D.503, courts must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served in the parent’s custody as opposed to all others.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “§ 232D.503. If the guardian fails to meet that burden, the guardianship must be terminated as requested by the moving parent.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “§ 232D.503. If the guardian fails to meet that burden, the guardianship must be terminated as requested by the moving parent.”
— Iowa Code § 232D.503(4) — 1 case
In the Matter of the Guardianship of S.P.-G. (Iowa Ct. App. 2020). “Iowa Code section 232D.503 governs the termination of guardianships.”
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