Summer is the best time of year to have important conversations with your loved ones. As you plan to get together for holidays or just for fun, plan to have these important conversations with those you love.
1. Who is in Charge?
In the event of an unexpected disaster or loss of life, it’s important that your family knows how to handle these difficult situations. Who has authority to make decisions for you? Let your family and trusted friends know who you have nominated as your health care power of attorney and financial power of attorney and how to contact them.
Share with your family and trusted friends the decisions you have made regarding end of life and how you wish to be treated. One of the most painful honors in life is to be named the “end of life” decision-maker for a loved one. Even if you have sufficient documents in place, those left in charge may be confused and find it difficult to make decisions. Your communication with your loved ones will help them be united in making decisions and help your representative to feel confident in the decisions that must be made. If you do not wish to have life support or tube feeding, communicating these wishes is like giving your family permission to make these hard decisions.
We often have this discussion with our spouses but we rarely include our children, nieces, nephews, or other potential decision-makers in this. It is important to prioritize the people you designated by having this conversation with them. By clearly stating your wishes, you can alleviate any existing and future anxieties for that person and make it significantly less stressful for them. These conversations might be difficult for you but will prove to be extremely important for your family if the need arises.
2. Ask About Personal Belongings
If you’re thinking about making a will, it’s a good idea to ask your family members what they want. This will help to prevent family strife during the administration of your estate.
Before you decide to let go of any personal possessions, you should ask your family about their wishes. It’s a good idea to ask more than once so that you can get a clear picture of what they want and don’t want.
3. Sharing Family/Personal History
Sit down with your loved ones and ask them what they would like to know about your family and life. If they cannot think of any questions to ask, talk about your favorite memories and any events you think are important. Share events that shaped your life and helped you to become the person you are. You can talk about your childhood hopes and dreams and whether those came true or why they did not come true. You can talk about your first date experiences, going to college, or military service.
People often think there will be another day, another opportunity, to talk to their loved ones, and ask about their family history, values, health, and more. Sadly, for some of us this day will never come. Plan to do things differently. When you’re gone, your family will have so many questions that they will wish they had asked when you were with them. These conversations will become priceless moments and part of their history.
How Can We Help You?
From Estate Planning to Medicaid Qualification, our firm works hard to protect your legacy! No matter your position in life, we all face many uncertainties. Planning for the unexpected is the best way to protect what you have worked so hard to obtain. Let us help you with the legal planning that will ensure your legacy for generations to come.
Email us at: amber@roseelderlaw.com
Text or Call: 971-865-3171
Address: 5200 Meadows Rd #150, Lake Oswego, OR 97035, USA
