How to talk to your parents about their estate plan

Posted March 4, 2010 in Views

Hurt feelings and misunderstandings last forever if children are surprised by decisions their parents made for their estate plan and never explained before death. There are some good examples in this article in yesterday’s New York Times about the benefits, and challenges, of intergenerational conversations covering topics like uneven distribution of assets or a decision to make a large charitable bequest.  For those that find conversation difficult, or would want to reinforce a conversation with a written explanation, an ethical will is an excellent tool to use to ensure complete understanding of intent.