Mentioning estates and wills can cause people to think of elderly folk dying in hospital beds surrounded by children who are adults. That doesn’t always happen. One of the saddest things that can occur is for a person to die at a young age and leave behind survivors who are minors. The sadness comes as much from what will happen to the children as the death itself.
The question of guardianship, i.e. the care and supervision of a surviving minor, is very straightforward if one of the birth parents is still alive. That adult has guardianship under the laws of the state of Connecticut. Difficulties, however, may occur if both birth parents should happen to be dead or the surviving parent has certain challenges, including mental incompetence or question of paternity. Problems about how the welfare and estate of a minor are to be managed then arise and guardianship includes such legal definitions as temporary guardian, standby guardian, co – guardian, and testamentary guardian among others. Anyone of those may influence the future care and well-being of surviving minors; it all depends on the given circumstance.
Connecticut has detailed guidelines for how the various forms of guardianship relating to minors must be handled. However, there are obviously different types for different situations. An employee doesn’t expect to die young, but if he or she should pass away without proper instructions for the care and well-being of surviving children, it could be left to the probate court to sort out. The possibility for both lengthy legal proceedings and extensive paperwork are quite real should that be the case. It is always better to have some plan of action to cover guardianship. Such planning for a surviving child’s welfare can be overwhelming for anyone who is unfamiliar with the law. A Connecticut employer that cares about reducing employee anxiety and fears will offer assistance with a group legal services plan.
It is a recipe for parental peace of mind. A group legal services plan helps connect an employee with an attorney who is well-versed in probate and the impact of guardianship on a child. That professional can point out to an employee all the situations that may have to be covered to secure the well-being of his or her children in the event of an untimely death. All of the various “what – ifs” can be covered with somebody who has a precise knowledge of outcomes based on years of experience. The result is an estate plan that guarantees the security and safety of children left behind.
Countrywide Pre-paid Legal Services has worked with Connecticut employers for years in creating legal plans. We can create a group legal services plan which removes the uncertainty about the protection of children should employee unexpectedly passed away. Such benefits can be paid entirely by the employee, or shared with the employee and employer, or paid entirely by the employer. Parents should not be burdened with high anxiety about how their death might harm their children. Employers who provide a legal benefit are doing something that every parent deeply appreciates.