DESIGNATING A GUARDIAN FOR YOUR CHILDREN IN A WILL

If you’re a parent with children who haven’t yet reached the age of majority, you need to create a Will that designates a guardian to step in and look after them if you suddenly pass away. If you fail to provide for your kids in this manner, a court will usually appoint someone to serve in this role – especially if your former spouse is deceased or incapable of handling this responsibility.
A list of traits and abilities a responsible guardian should have are set forth below. If your children have entered their teens at the time when no parent remains alive to care for them, the courts will normally consider their preferences for a guardian at that time.
What are some key considerations when choosing a guardian for your children?

• It’s often best to choose someone already known to your kid(s) or who has a definite gift for caregiving. This might be one of your parents, a sibling or a very close and trusted friend. Always be sure to obtain this person’s advance permission to name him (or her) in your Will before doing so. If you prefer, you can also designate a married couple as co-guardians;
• If possible, try to choose a person who already lives in the same city as you — or who is willing to relocate there in the future. It can be very comforting to children if they’re allowed to remain in their same school district. If you can’t find someone who lives nearby, be aware that it may prove a bit expensive for an out-of-state guardian to handle legal matters for the children in a different state. Choosing a local guardian can prevent this type of problem;
• Give serious thought to choosing a guardian who will fully support your faith beliefs and core ethical values. It’s always best to appoint a person who’s eager to help your children grow up in the faith community you prefer – and who will daily enforce the moral teachings you treasure most;
• Think about the financial responsibilities involved. Hopefully, you’ll have provided well for your children’s future with life insurance and other funds prior to your death. However, regardless of how much money you’ve put in an account for your kids, you’ll need a guardian who can responsibly handle money. If you do not know of anyone with strong financial skills, you can still choose a person to serve as the caregiving guardian – and designate a different individual to manage the children’s financial resources;
• What should you do if you do not want your estranged spouse to become the guardian after you pass away? Your Houston estate planning attorney may advise you to write and sign a letter documenting your reasons – and to attach relevant police reports or court documents to the letter. You can then give that letter to your named guardian so that it can be presented to the court after you’ve passed away;
• How should you proceed if you have children living with you from different marriages? It may be necessary to name more than one guardian for the children. Your main goal should be to keep as many of the kids together as possible. However, you must be realistic about how many children your named guardian can handle;
• Give some thought to the age of the person you’d like to name. If your parent or another desired guardian is still in good health, you may decide to go ahead and name that person now and simply revisit your decision within the next five years (or when that guardian’s health suddenly declines.) If you are naming a much older person as guardian, be sure to also name a secondary guardian who is willing to step in if the first one cannot serve in this capacity after you pass away. In fact, it’s always a good idea to have a back-up guardian named in your Will;
• Remember to name every child you want to be cared for by your guardian. It’s never wise to think that a court will assume that all your kids are covered if you only name one or two. Also, extended family members might step in and try to contest your choice if every child isn’t named individually.

Before finalizing any Will that designates one or more guardians, be sure to discuss your choices with your older children. Also, make sure each named guardian is truly interested in helping you by taking on such a demanding assignment.
Please feel free to contact one of our Murray Lobb attorneys so we can prepare a Will that designates a guardian for your children. We’ll be happy to answer any additional questions you may have about this critical task. Most parents gain a greater sense of peace once they’ve legally provided for these important caregiving needs for their children.
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