An up-to-date and legally valid Will gives instructions on how parents would like their children to be taken care of if the unthinkable happened. For example, it lets you have a say on who would act as a guardian for your children and choose how they would live and be educated. Unless you make a Will, you miss out on the chance to make particular provisions for these important decisions. Without a Will you also risk leaving your children and extended family in unnecessary financial and legal difficulties.
Choosing a Guardian
If you or your spouse should die, the surviving spouse will be
responsible for your children. But what if both of you die at the same
time? By naming a guardian in your Will you can ensure that someone you
trust will be legally able to look after your children if the worst
should happen.
Once you’ve chosen a guardian, you may wish to choose a different person
or organisation to act as your trustee. This reduces the demands on
your guardian by dividing the responsibilities with the trustee.
- Have I appointed guardianship for my children?
- Do I have a trust/financial security for my children?
- Did I update my Will after each child?
- Do I need to consider an allocation for their education?
- Have I provided for each of my children equally?
- Do I need to include assets for when they turn 18 or 21?