Who will look after my children?
This would be the role of the Guardians.
Guardians are appointed in your Will if you have children under the age of 18.
The Guardians have a responsibility to raise your children to adulthood, provide them with somewhere safe to live, to be responsible for all health and welfare issues and to make sure your children continue with their education.
They will take over all your parental responsibilities and so you need to be careful in your selection. Your initial thoughts may be the selection of a family member or close friends but you need to explore this carefully.
You should consider the age of the individuals, their health circumstances, their existing responsibilities, if they have similar values and beliefs, where they live and if your children could continue at their existing school and with social activities.
You also need to consider how the Guardians will finance looking after your children, we all know that raising children is expensive and financial provision should always be considered.
Guardians need to be appointed within your Will, they can be changed at any time simply by rewriting your Will as we understand that people’s circumstances can change over time.
Who will look after my Pets?
A Will allows you to appoint a Guardian or Guardians who will be responsible for your pets.
We love our pets and they always give us their unconditional love in return, so it is essential that we make sure they are provided for when we die. By writing a Will and appointing a legal Guardian for your pet, you can be confident that they will continue to be loved beyond your own lifetime.
You need to be careful in your selection of a Guardian, will they be capable, from an age and health perspective, of taking on your pet, do they have existing pets and how will your own pet respond to them and how will they be financed as we all know that food, vet bills and insurance costs can mount up pretty quickly.
Your pet’s Guardians will need to be detailed within your Will.
