Your parents are growing older. You know that you’re going to need an estate plan to do things like help them make proper medical decisions or distribute their assets after they pass away. You also know that a lack of an estate plan can lead to a lot of confusion and estate disputes.
However, it simply feels difficult to bring the topic up. It’s uncomfortable and you don’t want them to think that you’re trying to get your inheritance as soon as you can. So how do you talk about this?
Make it a low-pressure conversation
First of all, never try to force people to make an estate plan or put a lot of pressure on them. Simply bring it up as a talking point to learn as much as you can.
Include your siblings
Transparency is also important at this point, and it can be helpful to include your siblings in the conversation. Not only does this show them that you value their input, but it can also make it easier to start the conversation.
Talk about the potential downsides
Rather than talking about the assets that you want to get in the estate plan, talk about the downsides of not having one. For instance, you may be able to ask your parents what medical decisions they would want to be made and how confusing it can be for family members to make those calls with no guidance. This way, the conversation feels much more about protecting your family and your relationships with each other.
It is true that estate planning is crucial and it’s something that far too many people haven’t done yet. Everyone needs to know what steps to take to get the right plan in place.