I have seen a wide range of attitudes among clients. Without getting into too much detail, I have seen everything from gratitude to suspicion. I realize that many clients are sometimes pulled into an estate planning meeting unwillingly — by spouses, or (perhaps more often) due to their own feeling that they “have to do” something about their estate plans.
On the Estate Planning "Conversation"
It IS, after all, an inherently uncomfortable subject. Without a doubt, I am sure that many clients would rather go out to a nice dinner, or throw a party, than meet with and then hire a lawyer to prepare estate planning documents.
I’m sure that some of my clients would even prefer a meeting with their dentist.
A recent New York Times article addresses this difficulty of opening up “The Conversation” with a family member. Here is the opening excerpt of an article addressing this even touchier family dynamic:
For many people, estate planning is both a private matter and a morbid topic — not something that parents and their adult children want to discuss. While having these conversations takes a lot of courage, they can help avoid surprises, lead to better financial planning and promote family harmony.
Julie Busch, a vocational consultant in Seattle, asked her father, Russell, about his estate plan last summer after learning he had brain cancer. She was surprised to find that Mr. Busch, a lawyer specializing in American Indian rights, did not even have a will.
Take heart. These are difficult issues (and I know this from personal experience), from my own life. For me, it was no easier than it is for my clients.
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