Guide To Legal Guardianship For Children In Hong Kong

Any child under the age of 18 must have a Guardian who is responsible for them. What would happen if both parents died in an accident? If you don’t have a Will, your child may not be in the care of the right person. If there is no evidence of Guardians being appointed, then the State takes responsibility until a Guardian is found. If no suitable person is available or willing to do it, then the State remains in charge of the orphaned child or children for the rest of their minority.  Not a fun topic, but it’s a very important one for families in Hong Kong to understand.

What should you do?

Make a Will appointing the Legal Guardians of your choice and outlining the financial arrangements that will ensure support for the Guardians in their job. Make sure there is sufficient money available for the education and general care of your family. This is a good time to review the adequacy of your insurance coverage and education planning.

Appointing a Guardian

Appointing a suitable guardian is the hardest decision to make, especially if your children are still young. But the alternative is very unappealing. Think about whether this should be a family member or friend and have a conversation with them about it.

Creating a Will

Making a Will is not something you need to do more than once in a very long while. It brings great peace of mind knowing that everything is organized properly. You will not leave a trail of problems behind you if you take off suddenly and don’t come back. The peace of mind that comes from knowing that this small but important job is finished is well worth the time and effort spent on completing the task.