Where there’s a Will…
If the worst happened and your children were orphaned, do you actually know what would happen to them?
What can happen to children if both their parents should die without a will?
It’s a common misconception that if you die and leave your children orphaned, they will go to their next of kin, or godparents. The reality is that a Will is the only way you can ensure that your children live where you want them to.
If you don’t have a Will naming your choice of guardians, it’s possible that the Court of Protection can get involved, who could then decide who should look after your children. Whilst the decision is being made, your children may be placed in care, and there is even a risk your children could be split up.
Tell us how a Will can help to protect them
If you set up guardianship within your Will, then your children will go to the place you want them to. Would they be financially stable, go to the right school? Even whether they’d be able to share stories of your life with them as they grow up.
You should also consider where your inheritance goes in a case like this too. It is vital to leave a clear set of instructions in case you die whilst your children are still young. This is how a Will can help.
Who should be thinking about a Will like this?
As a single parent, if your offspring’s other parent doesn’t have parental responsibility and there are no guardianship arrangements in place, they could be taken into care. Or maybe for personal reasons, it would not be correct for a child to live with that estranged parent.
If they are named on the birth certificate and therefore have parental responsibility, they could be deemed to have a right of guardianship, overruling someone much closer to your children. For example, a loving stepfather who has brought up a child or a live-in grandparent does not automatically have priority over a father who has never seen his child.
For couples it’s likely that the surviving parent will step up, but it’s recommended that a guardianship is set up anyway, in the unlikely event that both parents die together.
PARENTS NEED WILL POWER!
All products with Will Power Worthing are currently on special offer at £75 each. The first meeting is free and there is no obligation. They will even visit you in the comfort of your own home.
01903 339007
0800 298 1166
willpowerworthing.co.uk
