It’s not a pretty thought, but have you ever wondered what happens to your little one if you and the child’s other parent die? Don’t have an answer? Well, you should!
It’s not a pleasant subject to discuss, but the important ones never are.
Here’s an example of what can happen if you and the child’s parent die:
Your relatives are left scrambling to figure out who takes the baby / the toddler / the child / the children. Whichever applies to you, picture it. Your baby is scared. She has no idea what’s going on. Where are my parents? Why are grandma and auntie arguing as to who should take me?
It’s sad to think about these things. It’s sad for me as I write this thinking my little boy could possibly be in this situation, though I pray my over-precaution has somehow exempted me from something terrible like this.
What’s even sadder? When a guardianship is opened for the benefit of your child because you have not established the proper estate plan to avoid this, and grandma and auntie are fighting as to who should be appointed guardian. Each of them has had to hire an attorney and each are dwindling down your child’s assets fighting over whom gets to have control over your baby and your baby’s funds. At this point, if you could come back from the dead and bop both of them over the head I’m sure you would (please substitute “bop them over head” with any form of punishment you desire).
If you have not set up a trust for the benefit of your child, at the bare minimum, designate who you and your child’s parent would want as a guardian for your child(ren). Designate a secondary choice, and a backup to that one. It is so much better to be prepared, God forbid your baby needs this.
In order to spread the word as to how important this is, Irama Valdes, P.A. will be preparing this form, called a Pre-Need Guardianship for Children, for free for any parent that asks for one during the month of April 2016.
Don’t have a child? I bet you know someone who does. Please pass the word along. A simple question to a parent could avoid them years and money in litigation: