A report was made available by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2010 stating that around 26% of minors under the age of 21 were living in single-parent households - an alarming statistic.
Everyone hopes to live a long and healthy life, and in fact the average lifespan at this time is 78 years. Of course, this is an average, not a guarantee. Everyday we read reports about young people dieing and leaving minor children behind.
We all recognize the fact that accidents take place every day that kill young people. Other young adults pass away as a result of catastrophic illnesses. It is just not going to happen to us, right?
When people who die at a young age leave behind minor children, it is seldom that they have taken the time or opportunity to properly provide for their welfare.
The children of single parents are vulnerable. All single parents absolutely must have an estate plan in place that names a guardian to care for the children.
We should also have sufficient life insurance to provide a financial underpinning for the children throughout their lives. To make sure that the funds are properly managed should this become necessary you could include a testamentary trust in your last will. You may want to consider a revocable living trust instead, so a court does not need to supervise the guardian with annual hearings.
To learn more about why estate planning is so important for the parents of dependent children please take a moment to download our free report and read it at your earliest convenience: Estate Planning for Parents of Young Children
