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How should I provide for my minor children?
A minor child is a child under 18 years of age. If both parents are deceased, a minor child is not legally qualified under California law to care for himself or herself. In your will, therefore, you should nominate a guardian of the person of your minor children to supervise that child and be responsible for his or her care until the child is 18 years old.
Such a nomination can avoid a "tug of war" between well-meaning family members and others if a guardian is required.
A minor is also not legally qualified to manage his or her own property. Assets transferred outright to a minor must be held for the minor's benefit by a guardian of the child's estate, until the child attains 18 years of age. You should nominate such a guardian in your will as well. In providing for minor children in your estate plan, you should consider the use of a trust for the child's benefit, to be held, administered and distributed for the child's benefit until the child is at least 18 years old or of some other age as you may decide. You may also consider a custodian account under the California Uniform Transfers to Minors Act as an alternative in making specific gifts to minors.
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