Estate Planning for New Parents: What Actually Matters First

Somewhere between the night feeds and the pediatrician visits, the thought lands: if something happened to us, what would happen to the baby? It's a heavy question to hold while you're this tired. Here's the calm version.

Quick answer: Three things matter most after a baby: (1) naming a guardian, the person who would raise your child; (2) making a basic will; and (3) checking who your life insurance actually pays. A simple will that covers all three is enough to protect your family. The rest can come later.

First, the reassurance

You're not behind. Most new parents mean to do this and haven't, because life with a newborn leaves little room for paperwork about the unthinkable. Naming these things doesn't make anything more likely to happen. It just means that if it ever did, nobody would be left guessing during the worst week of their lives. A first plan takes about twenty minutes, and you can change it as your family grows.

Priority 1: name a guardian