Young father? Make a will! - to appoint a replacement guardian

Director / lawyer from Kiwilaw

If you have a child - even if they don't live with you - you should appoint a 'testamentary guardian' - someone who will replace you as one of your child's guardians, if you die. Usually people do that as part of their will.
Death - you don't want to think about it? Well, it happens! (Road toll, workplace accidents, whatever.)
If it happens to you, things will be much worse for your parents and your child's mother, if you haven't made a will and therefore you leave them with huge legal hassles at what will already be an awful time.
Write your own will if you want to. Or download an online one. Or go to a lawyer or the Public Trust. Whatever. Just do it!
(Guardians are responsible for the big decisions in a child's life. The mother is one guardian. Nowadays most fathers are automatically guardians by law. Even if they are not, they can still appoint a testamentary guardian.)
Kiwilaw's online $69 will includes appointing a testamentary guardian. You could use it to do a basic will now, download it, print it, sign in front of 2 independent adult witnesses. Appoint a parent or sibling or partner as executor, and a friend as backup executor. Leave everything to your partner or child/ren. Appoint a testamentary guardian. Keep it that simple.
Then revise it in a few days' time - no extra charge - if you want to go into more detail about your property, etc.
Please, just do it. Somehow, just do it. Today would be good. (Photo is from iStock.)
autom.io...