You care for your family and want to help and protect them in every way possible. Perhaps you have tried to help them by writing your will, naming to whom, exactly, your assets should pass if anything happens to you.
Or, perhaps you’ve also completed advance directives such as a living will or health care power of attorney, in order to ease their burden by, respectively, declaring what medical procedures you’re willing to undergo if you can’t say so yourself, or appointing someone to make medical decisions for you if you’re unable to do so yourself. Creating an estate plan is a fantastic way to protect your family, but, if you have minor children and haven’t appointed a legal guardian, you’ve left a serious gap in those protections.
A legal guardian would have responsibility for your kids in your stead, should the unthinkable happen. Although the need for it is remote, choosing who to appoint as legal guardian for your kids is a big decision, so bear that in mind when considering potential candidates; you are, after all, selecting someone to substitute for you. Furthermore, make sure you ask the people you’re considering if they would even want the job. The last thing you want to do to your kids is appoint someone that doesn’t want them.
Once you’ve chosen someone to serve as guardian, you need to name that person in your will. In doing so, make sure you follow your state’s rules regarding the creation or amendment of a will, in order to avoid its invalidation.
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