When you create an estate plan, a crucial part is to name a guardian for your children in the case of your untimely death. This person will make financial and personal decisions on behalf of a minor, and the court will appoint them into this duty.
Thus, it is important to have someone listed that you would literally trust with the lives and well-being of your children. After all, that is exactly what you do when you name them legal guardians.
Consider health and age
According to the Florida State Courts, a guardian holds the most responsibility for your child. First, take health and age into consideration. As much as you may want to list your own parents as guardians, they might not have the stamina, energy or health needed to keep up with rambunctious kids or meet the physical demands necessary of a parent. However, you can designate different guardians for different periods of time, so you could potentially transfer your children to your parents once they reach an older age.
Make sure your values align
Next, consider the values of your potential legal guardian. Do their educational values, morals and teaching and parenting styles line up with your own? It is important for your chosen guardian’s viewpoints to be similar to yours as often as possible, so your children get exposure to the same value sets.
Keep distance in mind
Finally, do not immediately rule out your distant relatives. Moving to a new state might put more stress on your child’s life than staying in the same area and moving in with a more distant relative. It all depends on what they find more doable.