Action Item – Guardians for Your Minor Children

Some people get overwhelmed with the idea of getting their affairs in
order and as a result find it easier to do nothing.  To help people
with that inertia, I'll be posting weekly Action Items – little steps
that take an hour or less that will move you forward in the process and
make it less daunting.

I often find that the reason many people put off having their Wills written and other estate planning done is because they can't decide who to nominate as guardians for their children.  Today's action item is for you to set a timer (50 minutes, or schedule two 25 minute sessions) and work through with your spouse all the possibilities for guardians for your children. 

List out all the people you would consider, then think about what matters to you in raising your children (values, health and schooling decisions, physical location, discipline style, etc.) where these people fall on that scale.  Think about the age, health and living situations of your potential guardians. You may find that the choices are easier than you think once you begin to really think about it. 

You may not reach a decision at the end of the session, and that's ok. When the timer sounds, you can stop and schedule a time (in the near future) to work on it further. 

When you are ready to take the next step of meeting with an attorney to legally memorialize your guardian choices, and make sure that any funds you leave to your children will be managed appropriately by the people of your choosing, call me at 781-749-2284.