A godparent is a person who sponsors the child’s baptism. This is primarily a religious role, not a legal one. … If your child has a godparent but no named guardian, and something happens to both parents, choosing a godparent can help the court determine the parents’ will.
How do I legally designate someone as a sponsor?
1 Attorney’s Response The designation of a person as a sponsor has no legal significance. If you wish to designate her as the guardian of the child in the event of death, you can do so in your will. You must consult a local attorney.
Do I have to sign papers to become a sponsor?
If the person the parents appoint as godmother is their most trusted friend, they can take steps to appoint that person as the child’s legal guardian in the event of death or incapacity while the child is still a minor. … This document must be signed by the parents and two witnesses, and the signatures must be notarized.
Do godparents have rights?
In the United States, the godfather has no rights as he is not a family member or legally related to the family. Even if the child wants to see the godparent and the parents don’t want that, they, as the legal guardians of the young person, have the last word.
What documents do you need to become a sponsor?
The godparent must be Catholic, at least 16 years old and have received the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, Holy Communion and Confirmation. You cannot be the baby’s mother or father. The godparents must not be bound by canonical punishment.
What does sponsorship mean legally?
Being a godparent means you are an active participant in the child’s life, but it’s usually more of a religious role. A legal guardian, on the other hand, has a very specific role: to look after the children if both parents should die.
What is a sponsor’s responsibility?
In general, a godparent’s role is to stay in touch with the child in one way or another throughout his or her life. You will attend the baby’s christening and can attend the ceremony. More importantly, you serve as a mentor, taking the symbolic place of the parent of the child of your gender when that parent dies.
Are godparents usually a couple?
Usually, that person’s wife or husband was considered a godfather, but not really a godfather. Modern parents these days choose to have 10 godparents for their children so that they don’t have to be in a relationship. Click here for the full answer. 31
Should godparents be family or friends?
A godparent must be in regular contact with the family. Don’t ask anyone you know to become one of those godparents that no one has seen in years. Being a godmother is both an honor and a responsibility. 5
What rights does a godmother have?
Simply put, godparents have no legal rights while guardians do. After the death of a parent, the guardian can request parental rights and responsibilities for your child.
Who will pick up my child when I die?
Usually, the surviving spouse receives custody. However, when both parents die, the answer isn’t that simple, which is why it’s important to have an estate plan that appoints a legal guardian to take care of your minor child in the worst-case scenario. .