Wills and LPAs with Goughs

DELICATE DISCUSSIONS

Elderly parents and care: how to have that difficult conversation...

If something happened to your parents, relative or spouse tomorrow, would you know where to find their Will? Do they have an

LPA in place? What are their wishes for end-of-life care?

Goughs understands asking sensitive questions about someone’s personal affairs isn’t easy and it’s particularly difficult to broach the subject of financial planning and care with your own parents. No one likes to dwell on the fact that the time may come when parents may not be able to look after themselves, but it is a conversation that we must have and it avoids far more difficult questions and decisions later.

So, how and when can you broach the subject with an elderly parent, relative, or even your spouse and ease their worries? There is no time like the present:

TALK EARLY & OFTEN

A good relationship and regular dialogue with your parents about their plans for later life can make it easier to introduce sensitive subjects into wider discussions.

BE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR INTENTIONS

Emphasise to your parents that your interest isn’t in your inheritance; but simply in ensuring that their affairs are in order and you’re aware of their final wishes.

CREATE A CONVERSATION

If you’re struggling to find an opening, having case study examples from newspapers and magazines can be a more compelling way to show why these documents are so important and the potential cost implications and legal proceedings that can occur when there is no Will or a disputed Will.

SET AN EXAMPLE

Talk to them about your situation – tell them the steps you’ve taken to put your financial affairs in order and ask them if they’ve done the same. MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS ON THE SAME PAGE

Speak to siblings in advance so they are aware of what's happening and can offer a helping hand without it coming across as a confrontational conversation. A calm, considered and consistent approach is much more likely to produce a positive outcome. Your parents can appoint all of their children as attorneys if they wish.

"Stress that putting plans in place is precautionary and having an up-todate Will and LPA will ensure that their wishes are followed"

BE UPBEAT & POSITIVE

Stress that putting plans in place is precautionary and having an up-to-date Will and LPA will ensure that their wishes are followed and carried out by the people they would choose.

GOUGHS ARE HERE

Getting the paperwork right is vital, using a specialist solicitor to create and register an LPA safeguards against it being drawn up with errors that turn out later to be expensive, time consuming and extremely stressful to put right.

To speak to the Goughs team about a Will or LPA, or if you’re worried about someone who has lost the capacity to make decisions, call 01249 444499 or email privateclient@goughs.co.uk