On this episode of the show I talk about the only way to appoint guardians for your kids (and it’s not what you are thinking)…

A note on a paper napkin.

A form purchased off the internet.

Instructions to a loved one.

I’ve heard of these and many more ways that people believed they were appointing the guardians of their children if anything ever happened to them.

But the fact is there is only one legal way to appoint a guardian to take of your kids if something happens to you.

Do you know what that is?

Your Will is the ONLY Way to Appoint a Guardian

I wish it were easier than that, but it’s right there in the statutes.

The law says the only way to appoint a guardian (in Washington State) is through your will.

So what happens to all of the other things that you did that you thought would work?

The judge will still take those into account. And they may actually appoint the person that you wanted. But there’s a chance they could go in a different direction.

Do you want to take that chance?

If you appoint a guardian through your will they are presumed to be the guardian. That means the only way a judge can appoint someone else to that position is if the person you chose is legally not eligible to serve.

The Time to Act is Now

We never know what’s going to happen to us. We never know which day will be our last.

Don’t leave the future of your children in the hands of a judge.

Take action, execute your will, and lock in a guardian.

Christopher is a Seattle estate planning lawyer with CMS Law Firm LLC. He is a speaker, a blogger, a husband, a father, a golfer, and really good at helping people create the life of their dreams.