Planning your estate is a personal matter, no doubt, but you can benefit from discussing your end-of-life wishes with your family in Pennsylvania. Involving the people you care most about in the process of coordinating your estate can encourage mutual understanding and lessen confusion.
Because it is not uncommon for families to quarrel after a loved one’s death, your behavior now can provide crucial protection against costly and heated disagreements after your death.
Defining your legacy
Perhaps the most important “thing” you will leave behind is your legacy. How do you wish for people to remember you? Which characteristics do you hope your family name represents? These considerations can help you define the legacy you want your family to carry on. Sharing your desires openly with your family can provide them with a sense of responsibility and commitment to carrying on your legacy.
When you pass away, your family can continue to rally around your final wishes and provide support and comfort to each other. With a clearly defined legacy, you can give your family a concept on which they can agree. This may help protect against disagreements arising from confusion over what you would have wanted.
Encouraging respect and unity
Encourage your family to love and respect one another’s opinions. According to Fidelity, you can help to build unity through encouraging understanding, inclusion and empathy. Looking for appropriate times to have open, raw and respectful family discussions about the future can encourage everyone to participate and voice their opinions. When approached carefully, you can facilitate conversations that leave every participant feeling validated, heard and valued.
When your family members have a clear picture of your end-of-life wishes and see the value you place on respect and understanding, they may strive to replicate that even after your death. This unity can work against discord and allow your family to mutually grieve your departure without the stress of strained relationships.