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Managing Familial Tensions

Published on January 18th, 2019

Estate Planning Lawyer

Adult children with aging parents may begin to turn their attention towards will creation and estate planning. The fear that your parents may not have taken the time to clearly outline their final wishes may instill fear in adult children. When a parent passess away, the lack of a will can cause problems not only in deciphering their final wishes but also in creating discord within the family. Familial tensions are an all too common occurrence when a person passes away without a will in place.

Keep Your Loved One at the Forefront

When a parent passes away, adult children will be left to grapple with the best way to decipher their final wishes. This can be difficult to come to terms with, especially in situations involving multiple children. Although a parent who fails to leave a will behind can cause a number of complications, when there are multiple children involved, competing interests may begin to present themselves. Not only may children have differing viewpoints of how plans should be made, they may also be considering their own self interests as well. Especially when it comes to their inheritances. It’s important to make every effort in order to keep your adult parent’s final wishes at the forefront, regardless of whether they created a will or not.

Parents Should be Clear with Their Children

When parents take the time to clearly develop their will prior to their passing, conflict can be reduced significantly. When an elderly parent takes the time to carefully consider decisions and have conversations with their children regarding their final wishes, everyone has the ability to be on the same page. Although these conversations may feel uncomfortable, the likelihood of tensions or disputes regarding your final wishes can be greatly reduced.

Don’t Disinherit Unless You Have To

There are a number of reasons you may choose to disinherit a family member. In many cases, choosing to cut someone out of your will is a decision that you will certainly want to consider carefully. When a child receives resolutions in a way that is not accurate or unfair, they may be left to dispute your will and final wishes. Prior to making this weighty decision, an adult parent should be sure that this is the correct decision for them.

Be as Fair and as Equal as Possible

Equally distributing assets may be the fairest way of sharing your wealth with your children. Don’t set your children up for tension or conflict down the road. Making sure that you communicate your wishes and equitably distribute assets can make a significant difference when it comes to mitigating tensions within family.

Have your parents passed away without a plan in place? Despite the positive relationships you may have with your siblings, tensions may arise. The process of grief can be significant. When grief is present, loved ones may grasp at anything in order to preserve the memory of the person they have lost. Encouraging your aging parents to develop a will, can not only relieve stress, but ensure that you and your siblings do not squabble over your parent’s estate. Contacting an estate planning lawyer Melbourne, FL trusts may be key to drawing up a will that is clear and considers all the key elements.

 


 

Thank you to our friends and contributors at The Law Offices of Arcadier, Biggie & Wood for their insight into estate planning and managing familial tension.

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