Parents, write your wills

Guardian angel

There may or may not be a custody battle brewing over Michael Jackson’s kids. (His mother was granted temporary custody of the three, ages 7 to 12, and is seeking to make that permanent.)

But there may be a battle over YOUR kids if you die without a will or other estate document that names a guardian. Even worse: your kids could wind up in foster care.

Sometimes parents put off this necessary chore because the partners can’t agree on a guardian, or simply because they don’t want to deal with the possibility of their own deaths. Get over it. Your children are the ones who will suffer if you don’t get your act together.

Quicken WillMaker costs $40 and will give you the legal documents you need. If your estate is complicated or you have contentious relatives, you may want to invest in the services of an experienced attorney.

But do it now. Don’t leave it to fate, or the courts.

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