If you have children under the age of eighteen, you should designate a person or persons to be appointed Tutor over their person and property. Of course, if a surviving parent lives with the minor children (and has custody over them) he or she automatically continues to remain their natural tutor. This is true despite the fact that others may be named as tutor in your estate planning documents. You should name at least one alternate tutor in case the primary tutor cannot serve or is not appointed by the court.