As they grew into adulthood, many Virginia residents undoubtedly had encouragement from their parents to take important steps in life. Now, it may be time for adult children to encourage their parents to take such steps of their own. In particular, if their parents have not yet created an estate plan, it may be wise for adult children to discuss this matter with their parents.
It may seem difficult to bring up this topic for some because it is usually the role of the parent to ensure that the children are getting tasks done. As a result, some adult children may worry that they will offend or overstep by trying to encourage their parents to create an estate plan. However, the reaction could largely depend on how the conversation is opened.
Some examples for gently broaching the topic include:
- The child telling the parents that he or she is starting to estate plan and asking if the parents have their affairs in order
- Discussing a concerning part of family health history and asking if the parents have planned ahead for possibly facing that health issue
- Asking advice about how to make important decisions regarding an estate plan, like who to choose as power of attorney
If the parents indicate that they do not have an estate plan or have not considered filling important roles like a power of attorney agent, those answers may act as an opening to talk about estate planning further. It does not mean that the entire plan has to be discussed at once, but these openings could plant the idea and allow for follow up conversations in the future. If time goes by without the parents taking any planning steps, the adult children could express their concerns about not knowing what to do if their parents become incapacitated or pass away. It may even be worth offering to get information on estate planning in Virginia together.
