Bringing Up the Topic of Estate Planning with Your Parents

Mother’s Day has just passed and Father’s Day is right around the corner. As our parents age, there are certain topics that we need to address with them that could be a bit uncomfortable for everyone. In many cases, parents do not wish to discuss health and financial issues with their children. However, it is important to discuss these topics with our parents to protect their well-being and their future.

Our Michigan estate planning attorneys understand these topics may be difficult because they require us to focus on the mortality of our parents. Our parents may not want to address these issues because it forces them to admit they may need assistance from their children during their senior years. Below are tips for bringing up the topic of estate planning with your parents and a list of documents you may want to discuss with our estate planning attorneys.

Five Tips for Discussing Estate Planning with Your Parents

1. Schedule a time to meet with your parents.

Do not ambush your parents with the topic of estate planning. No one wants to be ambushed like they are in an intervention with a topic that may be stressful or difficult for them to discuss. Scheduling a time to discuss the topic with your parents allows you and your parents to prepare for the discussion.

1. Include your siblings in the discussion.

If you have siblings, you should include your siblings in the discussion unless there is a valid reason for the siblings to be excluded. Excluding siblings from the discussion may result in anger and hurt feelings, which could lead to challenges in probate court after a parent’s death. If you are unsure whether to include siblings, you may want to discuss the matter with an estate planning lawyer to obtain experienced advice before approaching the matter with your parents.

1. Discuss estate planning from your point of view.

If you do not have an estate plan, it can be difficult to convince your parents that they need an estate plan. It is much easier to convince your parents that they need an estate plan when you can discuss the reasons why you contacted an estate planning law firm and developed an estate plan for yourself. You can also use your estate plan to discuss the benefits of estate planning and why it is important for your parents to have a plan.

1. Stress the importance of an estate plan instead of discussing money.

Estate planning covers much more than simply who gets your parents’ money and property when they die. A comprehensive estate plan includes asset protection, Medicaid planning, disability planning, retirement planning, and special needs planning.

1. Be sensitive and understanding.

Your parents may have several reasons why they do not want to discuss estate planning. In some cases, parents may be more comfortable beginning the conversation with a Michigan estate planning lawyer. The goal is to help your parents develop an estate plan. If your parents are more comfortable meeting with an attorney, encourage them to do so. Our law firm offers free workshops, which could get a great way to introduce the topic to your parents and open the lines of communication.

What Does a Comprehensive Michigan Estate Plan Include?

A simple estate plan may consist of a will and a power of attorney. However, our Michigan estate planning attorneys typically discuss seven essential pieces of an estate plan with clients. This blogdiscusses those pieces in detail and provides links to further information about each topic. The list can be used as a resource for discussing estate planning with your parents. If you have questions about any of the items discussed, we encourage you to contact our office.

Let Our Michigan Estate Planning Lawyers Help You and Your Parents Discuss Estate Planning Issues

The CJ Berry Group offers classes and individual counseling for tax planning, retirement planning, estate planning, Social Security, Medicare, and long-term care planning. Our advisors help you plan for your retirement, protect assets, and provide for your family during and after your lifetime.

Call (844) 885-4200 to schedule an appoint with one of our financial and retirement advisors or request additional information about our services.