Guardians for Children
If you have children under the age of 18, one of the most important provisions of your Will is the appointment of a guardian for your minor children. Without a Will, the court determines the custody and guardianship of minor children when both parents pass away. Though the court possesses the ultimate authority to determine the guardian of a minor child, the court will usually defer to the wishes of the child's parents as expressed in their Wills.

If you establish a trust for your children, the designated trustee will be responsible for the management and supervision of the trust property. The person designated as guardian for your children may be different from the person designated as the trustee of the children's trust.