How do I name a guardian for my children in a Texas will?

What naming someone in a will does

If you have minor children, a will is a common place to write down who you want to raise them if you cannot. That written choice is important. It tells your family and the court what you wanted.

Naming a guardian in your will does not automatically appoint that person. A court still makes the appointment under Texas law and considers factors such as whether the person is eligible and whether the appointment is in the child’s best interests.

Texas law on selecting a guardian

If the other parent is alive and able to care for the children, that is often the starting point. Texas also has a more specific rule for a surviving parent’s written designation; the statute is linked below. Blended families, disputes, and non-parent caregivers are reasons to get legal advice instead of guessing from a web page.

Texas law on a guardian designated by will

Caring for children vs. managing their property

Two different jobs sometimes get mixed together:

• Guardian of the person — who would have the child live with them and make day-to-day care decisions.
• Guardian of the estate — who would manage property the child owns.

The official Texas simple will forms that LoneStarWill supports ask for choices for guardian of the person. They do not turn this page into a full lesson on managing a child’s money. If a child may inherit significant property, a Texas attorney can explain options the simple form does not cover.

Practical things to think about

Before you write a name, consider whether that person is:

• willing to serve
• healthy enough and at a stage of life that fits the job
• located where the children could reasonably live
• aligned enough with how you want the children raised
• able to handle the daily work of care

Name a backup if the form has space. Tell the people you name, so the first time they hear it is not after a funeral.

What LoneStarWill’s with-children flow collects

On the supported married-with-children and unmarried-with-children forms, LoneStarWill asks for first-, second-, and third-choice names for guardian of the person. That matches the official form fields. The software does not appoint a guardian and does not predict what a court will do.

Whether those forms fit at all is a separate question. See which Texas will form fits? and how to make a will in Texas.

When to talk with a lawyer

Get Texas legal advice if you expect a fight over the children, a parent is not in the picture in a complicated way, a child has special needs, or you want someone other than a typical family member to serve. Also use the estate planning checklist so guardian names are not the only thing you organize.

LoneStarWill is self-help software, not a law firm, does not provide legal advice, and is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. This page is general information. Creating a PDF is not the same as signing a will correctly.

Source review completed August 2026.