Wills: Godparents & Legal Guardians

Many people choose Godparents for their children based on who they would like to care for their child and assume that the Godparents would act as guardian for their child should they die.  However, despite this common misconception Godparents have no legal rights in relation to the child, a Godparent’s responsibility is to guide the child in their spiritual and moral growth but that is as far as their duties reach.

You can of course appoint your chosen Godparents as legal guardians of your child or children by making a Will, this ensures that your child or children are cared for by the people you choose.  If you do not make a Will appointing guardians then a decision would be made by the court as to who would care for your children and this may not be someone you would have chosen to raise your children.  Any minor, so anyone under the age of 18 years, must have a legal guardian who is responsible for them.

It’s really important if you have children to make sure that you have a Will in place and that it is up to date.  If you would like to discuss appointing guardians for your children in a Will please do not hesitate to contact our team of Wills experts on 0800 015 0340