One of the main keys to estate planning, if you want the whole process to go smoothly, is communication. You need to talk to the other members of your family who will be impacted by the plan. Experts advise sitting down and creating a family communication plan to address this process.
In order to do it, you need to know what questions to ask. Here are a few important ones to keep in mind:
- How are you all going to share important information? Do you want to use email or text so that you have written records, or is it easier to talk in person and take notes?
- Who is responsible for sharing information when it becomes available?
- Do you have anyone in your family that you do not trust?
- At the same time, who do you trust the most?
- Who all needs to be involved in your estate planning conversations?
- What are the main topics that you want to address?
- Are there any topics that you want to bring up at very specific times? Are there things that you’re thinking about now that you don’t really need to discuss until later?
- If you want to have family meetings, where do you want to have them? When should they take place?
- Do all meetings need to be in person, or can you do them online or on the phone?
- What are the key elements you want to talk about, such as your main wishes for your family and the specific details of your estate?
These questions can show you how important communication is, and they can get you started. Take the time to look into all of your estate planning options as you set up your communication plan.
