How to Choose a Guardian For Your Children

When making a will, one of the most important parts is choosing a guardian for your minor children in the event of your death. While it’s something that no parent ever likes to think of, it is necessary to make sure that your children continue to be taken care of in case of an unlikely accident. There are many things to consider when choosing a guardian for your child – here’s what to keep in mind to help you make the right decision.

Consider who your children already spend time with and are comfortable with.
The most important thing to think about when making this decision is what your children’s lives would be like in the event that they need to be cared for by your designated guardian. Ideally, you’d want this transition to be fairly simple for them, so consider any options that you know your kids already love, like a favorite uncle, or someone that they see often and lives in a similar area, like a family friend. Ideally, you’d like to avoid a situation where your children have to move across the country, or move in with someone they don’t know well.

Take age and health concerns into account.
When choosing a guardian, keep in mind their current age, as well as the age of your kids. You want to be sure that the guardian you choose will be able to adequately provide for your children until they are old enough to take care of themselves. You should also take into consideration the current health of the person that you choose to be a guardian. If they have major health issues, they might not be the best choice, as this could not only keep them from caring for your children the best they can, but they might also end up struggling financially. Of course, this all depends on your kids’ current ages and individual circumstances as well. If you need to change your children’s guardian in your will, you can always go back and make an amendment to the document.

You can name different guardians for different children if you need to.
Many people don’t realize that you can choose a different guardian for each one of your children if you need to. This gives you much more flexibility when making your choices. If your children have different needs, or they individually feel closer to different family members or friends, you can be very specific to make sure that they are taken care of. If your kids are teenagers, you may even be able to ask them who they would most prefer to live with. If you have kids from multiple marriages, this is a particularly good solution to keep them comfortable.

Make a list of priorities if you are having trouble deciding.
Many people are hesitant to name a guardian in their will when they can’t decide, which is very problematic in the unlikely event of a death. However, it is important to complete this part of the will to get everything finalized, just in case. If you can’t choose between options or are maybe even arguing with your spouse about the decision, try jotting down a list of things you think are important in a caretaker. After concretely deciding what you’d like to see from your child’s guardian, there’s a good chance an obvious choice will pop up.

Keep in mind that you can always change your child’s guardian later if you need to. Make the choice based on what is best for you and your family, not based on what others expect you to do. Finally, make sure you discuss the decision with your planned guardian to make sure they are okay with it and willing to do the job.