Six Common Mistakes

If you've named guardians for your kids in your Will alone, you've likely made one or more of these 6 common mistakes:

1. Named a couple to act as guardians when you don’t really want both people in the couple and you have not indicated  what should happen if the couple broke up or one of the partners in the couple died.­ ­
2. Not named enough alternates to serve if your first choice could not serve.
3. Considered financial resources when deciding who should raise your children. Your guardians do not have to also be financial decision makers for your kids. They should be the people that will be the people who will make the best health care, education, housing, discipline and care decisions for your kids. It’s your responsibility to leave enough money behind to take care of your kids either through savings or life insurance and you can name someone other than your guardians to take care of that money if the best choice guardians are not “good with money” people.
4. Not provided for someone to take care of the money you are leaving behind.
5. Only named long-term care guardians and did not make any arrangements for the immediate term if you were in an accident.
6. ­Did not exclude anyone who might challenge your guardian decisions.