Having a clear conversation about death and dying is never fun. Most people avoid them because they invoke feelings about our inevitable demise. Broaching this subject can be particularly difficult for parents and their adult children. Adult children may avoid bringing up the topic for different reasons. The most common are they don’t want to think about their parents’ mortality, and they may want to avoid sounding as though they are waiting for their parents to die.

Despite these valid reservations, you shouldn’t avoid the topic. We all will die at some point, and having a plan to care for either your parents estate or their incapacity will preserve their legacy and help them care for those they love most. Having these difficult conversations will also ensure that your parents have a voice regarding their end of life or when they can no longer make financial or medical decisions for themselves.

Due to advancements in technology, these conversations are increasingly important because more people are likely to experience a time when they are still alive but unable to make decisions for themselves. In the absence of conversations about these scenarios, often it is state law which governs what happens. These default rules may not reflect your parents’ wishes. In addition, failure to have your parents’ wishes properly documented may result in their heirs engaging in expensive and time-consuming court processes.

Once you understand the consequences of not having those conversations, the next question is how do you raise the topic with your parents? There are a number of different approaches, though no particular one is necessarily better than any other. The following are some key ideas to keep in mind if you want to have this conversation with your parents.

Do Not Nag Your Parents

If you are trying to persuade your parents to talk about completing an estate plan, the last thing you want is to make the process and yourself annoying. Instead of engaging in a productive conversation, you may inadvertently create an atmosphere of tension and suspicion. If your parents hesitate to have these conversations, explore ways to bring up the topic without leaving them with their guards up.

Be Open and Honest About Your Concerns

Being truthful about your worries is a significant challenge when discussing estate or incapacity planning. Every family is imperfect, and  areas of concern often indicate delicate family situations. To facilitate the best conversations about estate planning and to achieve effective planning for your parents and their legacy, you will have to address the awkward family issues. You must ask the difficult questions now, when your parents are available to provide their insights.

Also, it is essential to have all the necessary parties, such as siblings, stepchildren, new spouses, and former spouses, involved. As your parents embark on these conversations, let them know that you support them. Prioritize understanding their wishes and helping them to protect those desires.

Ensuring that all the parties involved are in generally good health is another consideration. Having these conversations after someone’s health is compromised may result in decisions that are not considered objectively. In those situations, attempts to think deeply about a plan for what happens to your parents, their property, and their legacy, may be blurred by concerns regarding their health.

Ask Your Parents About Their Wishes

Find out what your parents want and hope for with regard to estate planning. Do not make assumptions. Be direct and ask them what their ideal situation is. What they say may surprise you. Even if you have had no previous conversations of this nature with them, that does not mean they lack a clear idea of how they see things occurring in the future. The problem is that they may not have the plans in place to realize their vision. Asking them about what they want brings them one step closer to making their vision a reality.

Discuss Any Planning Already in Place

In many cases, parents do some estate planning when they start their family, but they almost never update it. Therefore, your parents may have some documents about what should happen if they become incapacitated or if they die.  However, the documents may no longer be relevant, because they do not address the changes that have occurred in the family over time. As a result, asking your parents about what they have done in the past is a critical component of having an effective conversation with them. Specifically, ask your parents if they have any of the following documents—and if they do, the documents should be reviewed:

• • past wills
  • past trust documents
  • powers of attorney
  • HIPAA authorization forms
  • insurance policy and retirement plan beneficiary designations

Include Benefits to Their Children and Grandchildren

Finally, addressing how your parents will build their legacy through their children (you and your siblings) and grandchildren is critical.  A common sentiment among grandparents is that grandchildren are their reward for not letting their children drive them crazy.  They are the gift that keeps on giving.  As a result, grandparents often desire to provide special allocations for their grandchildren.  The form and method require serious consideration, given the unique dynamics between children and grandchildren.  Explore how your parents want their money and property distributed and whether your childless siblings will receive less.  Again, navigating this area requires great tact and wisdom.

Having a clear conversation with your parents can help guide them to implement an effective estate plan.

You Do Not Have to Do This Alone

If you feel overwhelmed by the steps discussed above, call our office.  We can act as a neutral party to help facilitate the conversation and provide guidance regarding estate planning. Call our office to schedule a virtual meeting with us to begin the process.

Give Us a Call

Nielsen Law PLLC provides family focused estate planning to individuals and families in Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, and the Central Texas area.  For more information and to learn about our firm, please contact us.