Estate Planning for Minor Children
Protecting What Matters Most – Your Kids
If you’re a parent, there’s nothing more important than the well-being of your children. At Lambros Law Office, we help families throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts create estate plans that protect their children’s care and financial future if the unthinkable happens.
Without a plan in place, a probate court will decide who raises your children and who manages their inheritance. Thoughtful planning gives you that control—not the court—and provides clarity for your family during a difficult time.
At Lambros Law Office, we help individuals and families put the right legal documents in place so their plans are clear, their loved ones are protected, and their assets are handled according to their values and intentions.
Two Essential Questions Every Parent Should Answer
Who would care for your minor children if you and your child’s other parent passed away?
Choosing a Guardian: More Than a Name on Paper
A guardian is the person who would step in and raise your children if both legal parents have passed. We’ll walk you through how to choose someone who:
- Shares your values, parenting style, or faith tradition
- Already has a positive relationship with your children
- Is prepared to care for your children long-term
- Can be relied on through life’s changes
We also help you plan for contingencies, such as naming backup guardians, covering the guardian’s legitimate expenses, and confirming that the people you choose are willing to serve.
Who would manage the inheritance you leave behind for them?
Who Manages the Money? Choosing a Fiduciary
Your child’s inheritance must be protected and wisely managed until they’re old enough to handle it themselves. That’s where a fiduciary comes in—a person or institution legally responsible for managing the inheritance in your child’s best interest.
We’ll help you explore options, including:
- Family or friends – Familiar and trusted, but may lack time or financial expertise
- Professional fiduciaries – Provide objective oversight and investment management
- Combined approach – One person handles emotional decisions, while a professional manages the money
Every family is different. We help you find the right balance to protect your children and preserve family relationships.
We help parents answer these questions and put those answers into legally binding documents. Even if you’re divorced, separated, or not married to your child’s other parent, proper planning ensures that trusted people—not strangers or the state—step in when needed.
Our Role
At Lambros Law Office, we understand the sensitive nature of planning for your children’s future. We’re here to guide you through each decision, prepare the right documents, and give you peace of mind.
- Personalized legal guidance – Tailored to your family’s situation, values, and concerns
- Experienced with RI & MA law – We understand the legal requirements and differences between states
- Compassionate approach – We’re parents too, and we know how important these choices are
- Ongoing availability – Your plan can grow with your family, and we’ll be here when it needs to change
Frequently asked questions
Yes, both states allow you to name a guardian in your will. While a judge must approve the appointment, courts typically respect the parents’ choice unless the named person is unfit or unwilling to serve.
If you don’t name a guardian, the court will decide who cares for your children—possibly someone you wouldn’t have chosen. Naming a guardian in advance ensures your voice is heard and your children are cared for by someone you trust.
Yes, and in many cases, it’s a good idea. One person can focus on raising your children, while another handles their inheritance. This separation can reduce stress and avoid conflicts of interest.
Without a trust, children typically gain full control of inherited assets at age 18. With a trust, you can delay distribution to a more appropriate age (like 25 or 30) or set milestone-based access, such as funds for education, housing, or starting a business.
That’s allowed in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts. However, there may be delays or logistical issues in the transition. We’ll help you prepare for those possibilities and consider local alternatives or backups.
In many cases, yes. A trust allows you to control how and when your children receive their inheritance, avoid probate delays, and prevent mismanagement. We’ll help you decide what level of planning fits your situation.
I decided I wanted to make an impact in people’s lives, so I decided to practice estate planning law. Very important decisions have to be made by individuals during their lifetime to be proactive, to make decisions regarding their long-term care planning, their end of life decisions, where are they gonna leave their assets? How are they gonna leave their assets? So I felt estate planning really gave me the best opportunity to make that important difference in clients’ lives. Estate planning is more than just giving a client a stack of documents. We want to have an ongoing relationship with them so they feel comfortable calling us down the road. So building a strong relationship with our client is really crucial to what we do here. Our goal is to give our clients the peace of mind that they’ve made the right decisions, that they’ve been proactive in their planning.
Start Planning Today
No one wants to think about not being there for their children. But making a plan now is one of the most loving things you can do. At Lambros Law Office, we’ll guide you through the legal decisions with care and clarity—so you can protect your family, no matter what the future holds.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward peace of mind.
