and commitment to act as guardian for your child. You can reassure close friends or family by telling them you have planned ahead with a will, letter of intent (instructions for the care of your child), life insurance, and/or money in trust. Of course, few could care for your child as well as you can. But you're better off choosing a capable loving guardian than leaving it to the courts to appoint someone. At the minimum, you must set up a will, assisted by a lawyer. Preparing a will yourself or from a home kit is risky if your child may require assistance in the future. Without a legal will, your child's in-heritance may jeopardize any government assistance in the future. As little as $2,000 in assets can disqualify your child from SSI and Medicaid. An inheritance, personal injury settlement, or monetary gifts from family could make your child ineligible for government assistance when he turns eighteen.