Naming a guardian for your child or children is a hard decision. It is important to be aware of all of the problems that could arise. If you are taking the time to write a will to ensure that your children are taken care of in the event something should happen to you, then you want to be thorough when making your decision.
Guardianship Problems That May Arrise | Estate Planning Attorney in Cary NC
In this series, we are looking at factors to consider when naming a guardian, from familial situations to finances to deciding whether to get your children’s input. Let’s take a look at a few more things to consider when naming a guardian for your children.
Ideally you have prepared for your children’s financial future upon your death, but a trust or any other funds you leave them may not cover all of their expenses long term. Will your guardian be able to afford to take care of them until they are 18 years old? This is an important topic of discussion to have with your potential guardian.
The location of your guardian is another issue to think about before naming someone. If the majority of your family is in one area and your guardian lives far away, uprooting your children from what they know could be traumatic. There are also laws and other factors that may come into play with a guardian who lives out of state. Be sure to talk with your lawyer about this when preparing your will.
Aside from large geographic distances, even moving within a city can cause your children to leave behind their neighborhood friends and school. While it probably is not a huge factor, it is something to consider because your child will already be dealing with the loss of you and changing homes.
If religion and certain personal values are an important part of how you want your children raised, you will need to ask yourself whether your guardian shares these beliefs and values. You would want your children raised being taught what they’d learn with you, so make sure the guardian understands that you want your beliefs to remain a part of their lives.
Eldreth Law Firm | Estate planning Attorney in Cary NC
Regardless of whether you're married, single, wealthy, childless or a parent, it's important for all adults to have an estate plan and the proper documents in place at the beginning of each year. If you're ready to begin planning your estate contact our estate planning attorney in Cary NC, today.
We hope this information helps you when choosing a guardian for your child. If you need further information, do visit back with the following blog posts in this series:
