According to a 2026 World metrics report, there are between 14.5 and 15 million single-parent households in the United States. If your family falls into this category, it’s critical that your estate plan:
Appoints a guardian. Your plan must designate a suitable, willing guardian to care for your children if the other parent is unavailable to take custody of them in the event you become incapacitated or die suddenly.
Choose the best person for the job and designate an alternate if that person can’t fulfil the duties. Frequently, a single parent will name a married couple who are relatives or close friends. If you take this approach, ensure that both spouses have legal authority to act on the child’s behalf. Also, select someone who has the necessary time and resources for this immense responsibility.
Establishes a trust. Trust planning is one of the most effective ways to provide for your children. Trust assets are managed by a trusted individual or corporate trustee for the benefit of your children.
If your trust will provide for your children into adulthood, consider an incentive trust. By linking asset distribution to specific goals or behaviours, it can encourage your heirs to live responsibly while ensuring your estate is managed according to your wishes. An incentive trust can promote financial responsibility, encourage education or career development, discourage harmful behaviours and support charitable values.
Addresses incapacity. It’s important for your estate plan to include documents that specify your health care preferences if you become incapacitated and designate someone to make medical decisions on your behalf. You should also have a revocable living trust or durable power of attorney to manage your finances if you’re unable to do so.
Implements a gifting strategy. If your estate is large enough that gift and estate taxes are an issue, it’s important to begin tax planning as early as possible. As a single parent, you won’t enjoy the benefit of the unlimited marital estate tax deduction, so you’ll need to rely more heavily on other tax-reduction strategies.
For example, you might take advantage of the $19,000 per recipient (for 2026) gift tax annual exclusion to regularly make tax-free gifts to your children or to a trust for their benefit. By using the gift tax annual exclusion judiciously, you can transfer assets to your children and other family members and reduce the size of your taxable estate without eroding your federal gift and estate tax exemption. Be aware that each year you need to use your annual exclusion by December 31. The exclusion doesn’t carry over from year to year.
Creating a comprehensive estate plan is one of the most important steps you can take as a single parent to protect your young children. Unlike households with two parents, there may be no automatic backup decision-maker, financial provider or caregiver if the unexpected happens. If you have questions regarding your estate plan, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d be pleased to review your plan and help make any necessary updates.
Theus Law Offices specializes in a complete range of estate planning and elder law services, including wills, trusts, probate, successions, estate administration, and probate litigation. If you need a Louisiana wills and trusts lawyer or succession attorney in Alexandria, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Shreveport, Monroe, or elsewhere in Central Louisiana, let our certified estate planning specialist and probate lawyers help you.
