If protecting and caring for your children is one of your most important priorities, you may also be concerned about how they will be cared for if something should happen to you. While this may be an unpleasant topic to think about, it is important to create a plan for a worst-case scenario.
Guardianships give legal responsibility of your children to another party and creating one can help ensure your children are protected no matter what.
What Is A Guardian?
A guardian assumes responsibility of your child’s needs including shelter, education, food, medical care and finances. You can create a guardianship which allows you to appoint a person to be the legal guardian of your children should you be unable to care for them at any point in the future.
Guardianships co-exist with the legal relationship between parent and child, which means a guardian is not a replacement for a biological parent.
How Do I Choose One?
Choosing the right guardian for your child is an important decision that should require careful consideration. A legal guardian must be an adult who is physically and financially able to fulfill all responsibilities of a guardian. It’s also important to consider how much time they will have to care for your child as well as your child’s preference and their relationship with the person in question. You may also consider morals, fitness and ideals when making this decision.
This process can be difficult and somewhat complicated but it is an essential part of planning for your family’s future.