3 steps to choosing a legal guardian
Photo: Getty Images
My daughter was three months old when a sudden panic set in. What if her dad and I died" Where would she live" Who would rub her back in that special way to help her fall asleep" Most important: Who would ever love her as we do"
In those bleary-eyed days of big decisions?breast versus bottle, coddle versus cry it out?my husband and I could barely decide on dinner, let alone who would raise her if something happened to us. She was six months old when we finally started considering it and realized we had no obvious candidates. Ideally, we wanted someone who lived nearby, knew our families and shared our values about education and lifestyle. In reality, our only options were stepsiblings and cousins who lived far away or who didn?t know our daughter well. We spent months discussing it with no clear solution. For many parents?even those not so new, as it?s fairly common to put it off for years?choosing a legal guardian (someone appointed to take care of your children if both parents die) is rife with complexities and tricky family politics. Yet, in the worst-case scenario, it?s the most important decision you?ll ever make. Here?s how to get it done.
Step 1:Â Make it official
To put it bluntly, the only way to ensure your kids are taken care of by someone you trust is to get your affairs in order. First off, you need a will, says Adrienne Swift, a wills and estates lawyer in Toronto. ?The guardian clause in your will puts someone in a leg...
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