Tips For Discussing Estate And End Of Life Planning With Family

It is recommended to establish an estate plan while you are healthy and then review it every three to five years or as significant life changes take place to make sure that it is up to date. Having an estate plan that accurately reflects your wishes will allow your assets and wealth to be distributed accordingly. Doing so can make the allocation of your estate much less stressful and complicated for your heirs. It can also account for minimizing the risk of costly and drawn-out legal challenges arising.

In addition to wealth distribution, an estate plan is a powerful tool that can address your medical and end-of-life wishes. You can include directions for how you want to be treated and what you want to happen such as medical interventions, burial arrangements, and organ donation, for example. Also, you have the ability to appoint a trusted individual that will be your advocate should there come a time where you are incapacitated and cannot dictate your desires.

How to Approach Estate and End of Life Planning With Your Family

Not every person takes the advice of putting together an estate plan ahead of time while they are of able body and mind. Because of this, the legal complications that can arise with respect to their estate can be incredibly involved for their loved ones after they pass.

If you are suffering from a debilitating condition, like progressive dementia, there is no doubt this is a highly emotional time for you and your loved ones. When such a disease exists, typically, the prognosis is not good. There is no cure for many forms of dementia and these ailments are also not reversible. But, dementia is not the only disease that has life-threatening implications. There are several disease conditions that can signal the end of a person’s life is on the horizon.

This is why, once you are experiencing symptoms or have a diagnosis of a serious disease or ailment if you do not have an estate plan in place, there is no time like the present to get to work on establishing one before your health condition becomes disabling. Although discussing your efforts to put a plan in place for your estate and your end-of-life wishes is not the easiest conversation to have, it is incredibly important.

These tips can assist you when it comes to having the challenging, but necessary, conversation about what your end-of-life wishes are:

• Be confident in your plans and stay firm as you express them, but also remember, this is an emotional topic. Compassion for your loved ones can also go a long way.
• Reassure your family that you understand the decisions you have made and are committed to them.
• Be open to allowing your family to ask questions and give their opinions. But, remember that encouraging a respectful atmosphere is important to minimize the chances for hostility to develop.
• Stay calm and provide comfort to your family. Explain to them that you are at ease with your future but you understand that it may take time for them to also become comfortable with the situation.

Speak to an Estate Planning Attorney in The Villages

No one wants to consider how life will be without a loved one, but the more you can talk to your family about your intentions, the easier it can be for them to start to come to terms with everything. If you would like to see what options are best for your situation with respect to putting together a comprehensive estate plan, please call the Villages estate planning attorneys at Millhorn Elder Law Planning Group today to schedule your complimentary initial consultation at 800-743-9732. Millhorn Elder Law Planning Group proudly serves the residents of The Villages in Florida.

Source:

mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dementia/symptoms-causes/syc-20352013