Holiday Gathering

As the holiday season approaches many people find themselves spending an increased amount of time with their loved ones. Maybe you are spending a week in the home you were raised in or your parents are flying in to spend the holiday with you and your family. During these extended visits you may notice changes in your parents’ health that you had not noticed before. If so, it is likely that you’ll have questions about whether they have completed any estate planning documents. Broaching the topic of money, illness, and death is never an easy one, but is important. One idea I offer to clients of mine who struggle with how to raise this issue is to share a news article or story with them; you can start taking about the general topic and move into specifics if the conversation goes well. For more ideas on talking with your aging parents about estate planning, take a look at AARP’s web site -- they offer five moves to make the conversation a bit easier.

Have a happy, healthy and safe holiday.