Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, November 12, 2016

B3

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS

LETTERS & NOTICES

 Mountain Views News Saturday, November 12, 2016 

FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett


HOW TO DISCUSS ESTATE 
PLANNING WITH AGING 
(OR SICK) LOVED ONES 
– PART 1

Someone you love is aging, or maybe, facing a 
potentially terminal illness. You know it’s time for 
them to think about end of life planning but you may 
not know how to broach this delicate topic.

 To get the ball rolling, simply acknowledge to 
yourself that it can be a difficult or uncomfortable 
conversation. Then give yourself time to consider 
how you want to bring it up with your loved one.

 Ideally, considering end of life matters would 
be something we regularly spoke about and got 
comfortable with before the end of life was near, but 
that’s not generally the case in our culture.

 You can change that going forward, and I’ll share 
an article next week with guidance for how to make 
end of life discussions a regular part of your family 
conversations.

 But, if you haven’t already begun incorporating 
end of life discussions into the culture of your family, 
it could be awkward at first. Especially if your family 
member is ill.

 First, create a safe space for the conversation. 
Prepare your loved one in advance that you would 
like to speak about something that could be difficult, 
but also will provide peace of mind that his or her 
wishes will be known and honored. 

 Maybe the first meeting would be with just you and 
your loved one and be more generally exploratory 
with an intention to schedule more specifically 
focused future meetings with other family members 
included, based on the desires of your loved one. 

 During this first meeting, begin by acknowledging 
any discomfort and your desire to create a supportive 
field based on clarity and understanding. If you find 
yourself speaking more than your loved one, slow 
down and begin asking more questions to open a 
space for listening and clarity.

 Consider that this conversation can happen over 
more than one session and does not have to take place 
all at once.

 Educate yourself about what will happen when 
your loved one becomes unable to handle his or her 
financial affairs, make medical decisions for him 
or herself, and what will happen to their assets and 
personal effects when they die.

 Understand what your role will be if your loved one 
doesn’t take any action, and how that will impact you 
and other family members. 

 Be prepared to share that with your loved one so 
he or she can decide if the current plan, or if there is 
no plan, the state’s default plan, is sufficient to meet 
his or her wishes. If not, action can be taken if an 
alternative plan is desired.

 Contact us or another trusted advisor if you need 
help. As difficult as these conversations can be, things 
will be far more difficult if nothing is put in place 
before it is too late.

 Dedicated to your family’s health, wealth, and 
happiness,

A local attorney and father, Marc Garlett is on a 
mission to help parents protect what they love most. 
His office is located at 49 S. Baldwin Ave., Ste. G, 
Sierra Madre, CA 91024. Schedule an appointment 
to sit down and talk about ensuring a legacy of love 
and financial security for your family by calling 
626.587.3058 or visit www.GarlettLaw.com for more 
information.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com