Category: Guardian

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO MY KIDS IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO ME?

1/22/2015

As a mother of a 2-year-old, I can’t imagine what would happen to my son if something were to happen to me and my spouse. I would want to ensure that my child would always be taken care of by the people I want, in the way I want, no matter what happens.

If the unthinkable happens to the parents and without proper planning, here’s what could happen:

Your children could be placed in the temporary care of Child Protective Services (CPS) and into the arms of strangers until the authorities could figure out what to do. Even if it’s temporary, you don’t want your children to be with strangers, not even for a minute.
Your children could be put into the custody and care of someone who was the last person you wanted your children to be with.
Your family could get into a long, drawn out custody battle.
A judge who doesn’t know you or your family or your values will decide who will raise your kids. And that person might have very different ideas about parenting than you do.
Part of your total value of your assets could be lost through probate or tied up in probate court for years and deprive your kids of the resources they need to live comfortably
When your kids turn 18 years old, they get an inheritance check for whatever assets are left.
Unscrupulous people make it their business to look into the public records to see what 18 year olds are getting an inheritance.

No one wants to think of the inevitable, but it’s best to be prepared and have a well thought-out plan to protect your children’s well-being and care if in case something were to happen.

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CHOOSING A GUARDIAN FOR YOUR KIDS (PART II OF III)

7/10/2014

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One of the toughest decisions that I find people have is choosing who to be a guardian for their children. And because they can’t decide who to be the guardian for their kids, they put off naming someone or even put off doing their whole estate plan.

A guardian is the person or people (if you name a couple) responsible for your kids’ physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. If you name a couple and one of the spouses pass away, ask yourself whether the surviving guardian spouse can care for your child alone or would you want to go to your next choice for a guardian.

When nominating a guardian for your child, consider:

Their parenting philosophy and if they will raise your kid with your values
Their relationship with your child
Age
Location
Personal Values
Religion
Discipline Style
Whether they can take up this huge responsibility of caring for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of your kids

If this is still difficult for you, keep in mind that the other alternative is a Judge making the decision for you and who doesn't know you and your circumstances.

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WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO MY KIDS IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO ME?

CHOOSING A GUARDIAN FOR YOUR KIDS (PART II OF III)

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