Families with Older Kids
As parents of older, elementary school age through middle school age children, having a plan in place to protect them from an uncertain future should be as important as supplying them with the right school supplies and a safe environment to grow up in! Your children are still not old enough to take care of themselves or manage their own money.
Your children need, and want, you to plan for their future by designating the people you know would raise them and provide for them until they are grown and on their own.
Getting started can sometimes feel like a difficult undertaking, but with no formal plan in place, you (and your kids) will get stuck with the default plan can never take into account your unique family situation or reflect your own wishes for your children and assets.
Simply put, a judge will decide what happens.
Estate Planning For Families with Older Kids
The team at The Parents Estate Planning Law Firm will help you gain clarity about where things stand right now for your family. We will help you understand the consequences of not having a comprehensive estate plan to protect your loved ones.
Before meeting, we’ll ask you to complete a Family Wealth Planning Worksheet. This tool will help you get clear about everything that you own and the decisions you’ll make for the well-being and care of your loved ones and cherished belongings.
During your Planning Session, your attorney will spend time getting to know you, your family and what is most important to you. From there you can make educated decisions about what makes the most sense for you.
Protecting Your Children
Having a will simply is not enough. It doesn’t guarantee the care of your children if the unthinkable happens!
Your estate plan must safeguard your children, who are counting on you to ensure that they will always be taken care of by the people you want, in the way you want, no matter what happens.
At The Parents Estate Planning Law Firm, we care deeply about planning for the well-being and care of the children you love. It is at the heart of everything we do.
We have developed a reputation for comprehensive planning for the care of children in the event of the death of one or both parents.
Without this comprehensive legal planning, unthinkable events can (and do) take place:
- Your children could be placed into the care of the Department of Children and Families even if you have a will in place and even if you have a living trust. Likely this circumstance would be temporary, but you never want your children in the care of strangers—not even for a minute.
- Your children could be put into the custody and care of someone you would never choose, like the one family member who you don’t want raising your kids!
- A judge, who doesn’t know you or your family, will decide who will raise your kids.
- A long and nasty custody fight could ensue, or there might be a challenge to the guardians you have designated.
- Tens of thousands of dollars could be lost to court costs and other unnecessary fees through the probate process that can tie up your money and deprive your kids of the resources they need.
- Unscrupulous people can take advantage of children when they turn 18 and receive a lump sum inheritance.
Kids Protection Planning®
With proper legal planning, these problems and more can be avoided. That is why we offer a Kids Protection Plan® to every family with minor children.
Our Kids Protection Plan® includes a specific set of legal documents, caregiver instructions, and even an ID card for your wallet.
In an emergency, these clear instructions inform the police, and your babysitter about what should happen next, and ensure your children will always be in the care of people you, and your children, know and trust.
The majority of “traditional” estate planning attorneys do not address these issues. They do not plan from a parent’s perspective and do not have the training and practice required to fill all of the gaps that exist in traditional estate plans.
Don't Leave Your Family's Future To Chance
Get started with your estate plan by scheduling your Planning Session today.
You are unique. We are, too.
At The Parents Estate Planning Law Firm, we do not offer a “one size fits all” estate plan. We form a working relationship with our clients.
We educate you, and more importantly, we take the time to get to know you and your family. We will discuss your concerns and your goals, and we will gladly and patiently answer all your questions.
Our goal is to create an estate plan that is exactly right for you. Our services include a three-year review to ensure that as your lives change, your plan will too.
Don’t wait! We are happy to get you started with your estate planning. Please call our office at 978-263-6900 or contact us online to schedule your Planning Session today.
