A will should name a guardian for minor children if parents pass away

If you have minor children, it is critical that you have a will wherein you name a guardian for your minor children if you pass away.

Attorney Tom Olsen: Chrissy, I want to tell you something that happened to me. I've been a lawyer for 35 years and I've done thousands and thousands of wills and trusts. Many hundreds of those have to do with young people who have young children, minor children. When we do a will for people with minor children, one of the provisions within that will is: Who would be the guardian if mom and dad passed away? Who would be the parent if mom and dad passed away?

The will that I did for a young lady, the Father was already deceased. I did her will. In that will she named who would be the parent, who would be the guardian to her minor children if she passed away. She chose her parents. A likely choice. Well, gosh. Believe it or not, the young lady did pass away.

Chrissy: Oh, my goodness.

Attorney Tom Olsen: I saw the parents a few weeks ago. They were so grateful that I had put that language in that will because they did have to go to court and duke it out with the other relations as to who's going to get the kids. They said, "Tom, by our daughter putting that language in her will, it meant everything to the judge, and guess what? We've got the kids."

Chrissy: Well, Tom, thank you for sharing that with me and with all of our listeners. Think about how significant that is. Exactly like you said, obviously, young people don't want to have to think about, "Oh, if something happens to us?" How critical it can be for once again, making things a little bit easier for your loved ones if that unfortunate situation were to you and your husband were to pass away, as to what your wishes are for those kids. That's a very perfect example. Think about it, the fact that you had the chance to hear exactly what happened. You wouldn't always have that.

Attorney Tom Olsen: Oh, it really touched my heart.

Chrissy: Hit home, right?

Attorney Tom Olsen: It's like, oh my goodness. I'm so glad we did a standard procedure, but to hear how it worked so well for them was really just good to hear. Because they're good people and it had a great outcome. Thank goodness.

Chrissy: Wonderful to hear. Thank you for sharing.