Your parents are getting on in age, and you can see their health deteriorating in front of your eyes. Maybe they will live for many years yet, or maybe their time will come soon, but there is one thing that is bothering you – you are not sure if they have an estate plan.
Some might argue that it is none of your business whether your parents have a plan in place or not. Yet in reality, it is your business, because their choices or lack of them will affect you. Not just in terms of whether you get something either, but in terms of what you might be called upon to do.
It’s wise to ask, but do it sensitively
Asking your parents whether they have a plan in place and asking them to share some details of it is sensible. However, as there’s a possibility they, or someone else, might misinterpret your motives, it’s wise to think carefully about how you will approach the matter.
Maybe you could ask the initial question, of whether there is a plan, off the cuff. But if you want your parents to give you some details, then allow them some time to prepare. That way, they can think about what they want to tell you and fish out any information they might need to explain it to you. If you do it with your siblings, it reduces the possibility that they think you are angling to influence your parents to favor you over them.
If your parents don’t have anything in place, then your conversation could turn to why it is important to make an estate plan, and helping them get the necessary guidance to make it.