How to create a Nomination of Guardianship
There are two ways to include guardians within your estate plan on the Wealth.com platform. One option is to include this in your Trust or Will document within the workflow. The other is to create a stand-alone document (if you do not wish to draft a Trust or Will).
Adding Guardians in the Trust or Will Workflow
If you are currently creating your Trust or Will, follow these steps:
Navigate to the Trustees and Decision Makers section.
Select Guardians.
Enter the contact information for your Primary Guardian.
Backup Guardians: You may list backup guardians to act in succession. If a primary guardian resides outside the U.S., the platform will prompt you to name a temporary U.S.-based guardian.
Joint Guardians: If you wish for a couple to serve jointly, list them one after the other. The platform currently supports one active guardian at a time, but your listed order establishes the clear line of succession for the court.
Addressing the Court: On the final page, you can include an explanation for your choices to help a judge understand your intent.
Note that the ability to name Guardians in the Trust or Will workflow displays only if you have indicated that you have Children under the age of 18, or wish to account for future children.
Creating a Stand-Alone Nomination of Guardianship
NOTE: If creating a Trust or Will, a nomination of guardianship is automatically included in the Trust and Will workflow. You do not need to draft one separately.
Navigate to the Document Center.
Select View All Documents in the top right corner.
Select Nomination of Guardianship and click your name to start the workflow.
The "Stand-Alone" Nomination of Guardianship Document
If you have drafted a Trust or Will on the platform, guardianship nominations are included directly within the Will (or Pour-Over Will if you have drafted a Trust).
A separate Nomination of Guardianship document is only generated if you select "Other" in the "Addressing the Court" section of the workflow.
Why? We use this separate document to capture lengthy, free-form instructions without compromising the technical integrity of your Will.
Legal Standing: While a Will is the primary authority, this separate Nomination of Guardianship acts as a "letter of instruction," providing the judge with the additional context they need to honor your wishes.