Talking about, or to, aging parents is never an easy conversation. All our parents are at different places, health and income levels. I watched my Gramma Mary work hours on my Great Gramma Pearl’s estate. Gramma Pearl had limited assets and little, to no, planning so everything had to go through the court system.
Working in insurance allows me to see what other families have put into place. There are several things that I would like to suggest as a bare minimum:
1. Get wills, POA’s and choose trustees/executors in place—early on -- visit your lawyer.
2. If you have minor children - provide detailed instructions for guardianship.
3. Listen to trusted advisers, seek advice from financial planners and health care providers - “Physician orders for “life-sustaining treatment” needs to be completed.
4. Plan for incapacity!
5. Pre-Plan for Medicare. Get advice on this, the rules change yearly!
6. Under the Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, “digital assets follow according to the will, but they have to be mentioned in the will”. If you have an established will, you need to address your password/digital information, as well as any updates, in a codicil.
I have invested in the book “Good to Go, A Guide to Preparing for the End of Life”. A quote from the book: “One of the few things in life that’s certain is death—and here’s a realistic, practical and even humorous book about preparing for it”. Stop by the office as I have several used copies to give out. First come, first served!
Lori Granberg