The most wonderful time of the year has arrived! Thanksgiving is a special time when many of us come together with family and other loved ones to kick off the holiday season.
I absolutely love this time of year! Every Thanksgiving, I look forward to watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade while we cook and prep for our big feast. One of our favorite family traditions is making bacon-wrapped dates. My kids have grown to love this tradition, and when the holidays roll around, they always make sure we have all the ingredients on hand.
As an estate planning attorney, I see family celebrations and gatherings as the perfect opportunity to open up important discussions that often don’t come up in everyday conversations. These moments together can naturally lead to meaningful talks about the future and planning for what matters most.
When it comes to estate planning, some clients prefer to be open and involve their children in every detail, while others choose to keep things private and handle everything on their own. There’s no right or wrong approach — it’s entirely up to you how much you want to share with your family and loved ones.
Often, clients want to have important conversations about estate planning with their loved ones but aren’t quite sure how to begin. They worry that bringing it up could open Pandora’s box and lead to unexpected or uncomfortable discussions. This is where we step in to help guide the process and make those conversations easier and more productive!
This would be an ideal opportunity for us to facilitate a family meeting. We can step in to help guide the process and make those conversations easier and more productive! We begin by talking with the parents in advance to determine what they’re comfortable sharing and what information they want to communicate. Often, the most important part of these conversations is reassuring their children everything is taken care of while also showing them where to find essential documents and accounts when the time comes to make the transition smoother for everyone involved.
Peace of mind is an amazing gift to give to your children, and it all starts with a conversation. While it may not be a cheerful and fun conversation you want to have during the holidays, this time of year is often a great opportunity to take a few moments to chat about your estate plan and wishes while everyone is together under one roof. While everyone is home, it’s also an opportune time to bring everyone into our office for a quick family meeting.
We are available to talk through the many options available for having these difficult conversations with your family! Give us a call to set up a time to chat!
From our family to you and yours, Happy Thanksgiving! Here’s to a fabulous holiday season!