Your Will is the only way you can record your wishes as to who should be responsible for your dependent children.

As with Executors on the next page, probably the most important quality a prospective guardian can possess is honesty and consequently you trust them, for let's face facts, you wont be here to check up on them and you will be entrusting them with the upbringing of your most precious possession(s).

 

May we also suggest the guardian you choose should reflect your life values, your views on the child's welfare, education, religion, behaviour and general demeanour.

 

We would also propose that wherever possible your nominated Executor(s) and Guardian(s) are not one and the same. The main reason for this is that a child does not stay a child for long and as they go through teenage years there may be circumstances when they will want to do or obtain something for which money is required but with which their guardian does not agree. If they are aware their guardian controls the purse strings there is potential for an explosive situation which does not bode well for a harmonious relationship. Were as if there is an external third party to 'blame!', this can help to defuse the situation.

 

Less of a concern, bearing in mind you chose the guardian(s) because you trust them implicetly but still if there is also a detached Executor, the two parties can ensure the bequeathed estate does get utilised properly, for the benefit of your child(ren).

 

One other point, we did touch on it on an earlier page, is that you may wish to give consideration to the financial impact your child(ren) would have on the guardian(s) and how this would be met. Would it be that you would be quite happy for any inheritance the child(ren) would have received in the normal course of events to be utilised for their general up bringing or would your preference be that seperate funds be used for this with their receiving their actual inheritance in the fullness of time.

 

If you are not at comfortable with the idea of their inheritance being utilised for their up bringing, then have a chat with us, it's a situation which is usually easily addressed and without incurring massive costs.