A big part of making an estate plan, if you’re a parent and your children are not yet adults, is picking a guardian. Many people tend to just focus on the financial side of the process, but deciding who is going to care for your children is likely far more important to you than what you’re going to do with your assets.
It’s not only that you want to have someone in line to care for your children when necessary, but you also need to find the right person for that job. What should you look for?
Are they willing?
You certainly want to start simply by determining if the person you have in mind is even willing to do the job. Do they have the time? Do they have the energy? Do they have the financial ability? Just because they care about your children does not mean that they necessarily want to be a guardian.
Do they have similar values?
You also want to look for someone who cares about the things that you do. This can vary widely from case to case, but it could include things like a religious upbringing or a focus on education.
What is their parenting style?
It may be hard to find someone who has exactly the same parenting style as you, but you are looking out for the best interests of your children. You don’t want to pick someone who differs too drastically. Ideally, you’re just trying to create a stable environment for the children and give them a similar upbringing to the one they would have gotten if you were around to provide it.
These are only three things to consider as you look for a guardian. Once you settle on someone, be sure to look into the legal steps necessary to set up the paperwork.