The Importance of a Guardianship Will
Learn as if you were going to live forever. Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.” Mahatma Gandhi One of a parent’s many concerns when they have small children is what will happen to their children if they are no longer here. If your children are young, you’ve thought about who would raise them, love them, nurture them and properly care for them financially. It is an uncomfortable thought but with a with an arrangement of a Guardian Will, you can feel sure that, in the extremely unlikely event you can’t raise your children, they will be well cared for.
The appointment of a Guardian for your children is a very important one. Should you die without making a Guardian Will, your children could be placed in the care of the Courts until an official guardian is appointed. This could take months and could obviously result in distress for your children and other members of your family. Appointing guardians for your children and for any estate you leave them will safeguards against this happening. Remember to request that your appointed guardians also make a Will themselves to further safeguard the future of your children.
The following is important information to consider when preparing a Guardian Will:
Who shall I appoint as Guardians for my children?
Guardians are usually relatives or friends who you trust and believe will care well for your children and for any estate you leave to them should you die. It is important to ask them before you name them in your Guardian Will, as they must agree to accept their role and be aware of their responsibilities.
A guardian becomes responsible for the child’s physical care, health, education, and welfare until he or she reaches 18 years of age. This includes providing the basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, health care decisions and education choices.
Shall I choose a different person to take care of my children’s estate?
Some parents name one person to be the children’s personal guardian and a different person to look after financial matters. Often this is because the person who would be the best surrogate parent would not be the best person to handle the money.
In conclusion, for parents of young children, naming guardians is one of the most important safeguards a parent can do to protect the long term safety and welfare of their children. You should have complete confidence in the guardian you chose, and you should be certain that the person you are choosing is willing to accept the responsibility of raising your children should the need actually arise.