When new parents ask someone to be the godparent of their child, they too often assume that means they don’t have to designate a legal guardian who will take over their care should something happen to them because the child has a godparent. It’s important to know, however, that godparents and legal guardians are two very different things.
A godparent is not a legal designation. The person you choose to be your child’s godparent can also be designated to be their legal guardian. However, you need to do that in your will or some cases another estate plan document.
The role of godparent means different things to different people. It used to be largely limited to Catholics, but anyone can ask one or more people to be a child’s godparent. Typically, they do so because they consider them to be a good role model for their child and want them to be part of their child’s life. Most people don’t turn down the request to be a godparent – especially if there are no real strings attached – like potentially having to care for the child.
Choosing a legal guardian requires considerable thought – by everyone involved
If you want your child’s godparent (or someone else) to take over the raising of your child if you and their other parent both die or become incapacitated before they turn 18, that requires a serious discussion with your intended guardian. Before you do that, you need to think carefully about whether this person would provide your child with the care and guidance you would want them to have if you were around. It also means trusting that they’ll use the money you provide for your child in your estate plan wisely (even if you have a separate trustee).
It’s important for the person you ask to be your child’s legal guardian to take the time to consider what that means before they agree. That’s not something anyone should agree to simply because they’re flattered and they assume they’ll never have to take on the responsibility.
Having a new child is what incentivizes a lot of people to begin their estate planning. To learn more about designating a legal guardian and other important steps you can take to protect your child’s future, it’s smart to get experienced estate planning guidance.