As many of my blog readers know, I’m beyond passionate about spreading the word on the importance of parents nominating guardians for their minor children. It’s why I regularly speak at schools, daycare, preschools, MOMS groups, and MOPS groups in the Grand Rapids, Mi area. It’s also why we make sure every family with minor children has a comprehensive Children Protection Plan in place.
As a caring parent, naming guardians for your children will be the most important decision you ever make . . . and for many, it’s the most difficult decision too. Take, for instance, Adam Yauch – founder of Beastie Boys. As you can see from this Forbes.com article, Yauch really struggled with naming guardians for his children. I won’t say his decision – you’ll have to read the article for that.
Wealthy or not wealthy, famous or not famous, many parents struggle with this decision. Unfortunately, the vast majority of parents come to the worst possible solution – they don’t name guardians at all. Not naming anyone is not a solution – it can cause an extreme amount of hurt and anguish, and ultimately will mean that a court determine who cares for your children. Is that what you would want? Trust me, you can do it. Although I’ve met with many parents who didn’t agree on who should be guardian of their children or in what order, we have always come to a solution agreeable to both parents.
It reminds me of this blog post I wrote back in 2009. It’s worth the read – trust me.
Don’t let your children be cared for by a court-appointed guardian if something happens to you. Give us a call at 616-827-7597 and have the added peace of mind of having a caring plan in place for your family!
Michael Lichterman is an estate planning and charitable planning attorney who helps families and business owners create a lasting legacy by planning for their Whole Family Wealth™. This goes beyond merely planning for “stuff” – it’s about who your are and what’s important to you. He focuses on estate, charitable, and asset protection planning for all generations (“young” and “experienced”), the “sandwich generation” (caring for parents and children), doctors/physicians, nurses, lawyers, dentists, professionals with minor children, family owned businesses, and pet planning. He enjoys creating life long relationships with his clients centered on their family’s values, insights, stories and experiences.