Estate Planning and the Importance of Communication

In life, there are certain things that can make people uncomfortable during discussions, two of which are death and money. These topics are not always easy to discuss, especially when they are combined together. While it may be a difficult conversation, communicating about estate planning is crucial.

The reason that it is critical to discuss estate planning with your loved ones is because you need to get their opinions on the matter. While you may think that you are doing them a service by leaving them in charge over the estate, they may not feel the same. Some of the things that you leave behind are going to require a lot of responsibility that the person who is receiving them may not be very comfortable with. You are also going to want to make sure that the beneficiary of your estate understands your intentions and plans for the estate. If you have specific instructions for your property, you want to make sure that the person you are leaving the property to understands what it is that you wanted. When you are planning the estate you may also be interested in knowing what your survivor’s thoughts are on the matter. They may have input as to the division of the estate that you may want to keep in mind.

Communication is especially important regarding durable powers of attorney for healthcare. This document urges great wide discretion

One of the other benefits to having an open communication about estate planning is bringing your family a sense of empowerment and comfort, knowing that you are taking control of each other’s collective future rather than leaving it to chance. This is also a great time to pass on family values as well as create a common understanding of how your family’s legacy will be carried out.

When it comes to speaking about your estate planning, it is best to have an open and candid conversation about your wishes. Certain questions may arise out of the conversation, and you may want or even need to address them with someone. In one instance the client and I were discussing the funeral arrangements he wanted when his daughter overheard the conversation and was uncomfortable with some of his requests. After the three of us sat down together and more time talk about his desires, we were able to fine tune the arrangements to ensure his wishes would be carried out.