Top 5 Conversations Employees Should Have With Their Families (and an Attorney)

In today's complicated world, planning for the future can be confusing, even overwhelming, when you take all your potential medical, legal and financial needs into account. But it doesn’t have to be.

Having an open and honest, frank yet respectful conversation with your loved ones about how you want your medical needs taken care of and your wishes carried out is a true gift you can give them — and yourself. Because more important than what happens after you're gone is what you plan for while you're still here.

Below are five topics every employee should discuss with their family, as well as with an attorney.

1. Medical and personal care

This includes completing advance medical directives, medical powers of attorney, health care declarations and living wills. This also includes do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders.

2. Comprehensive estate planning

In addition to the drafting of a will, this includes trusts, various powers of attorney, real estate titling or conveyance, and the gifting of both personal and real property, as well as the tax implications of any of these.

3. Possible incapacity

Depending on the state and the situation, various roles that an employee needs to consider include assigning an attorney-in-fact, a conservator or guardian, and a representative payee, among others.

4. Determining incapacity

Once you've assigned these roles with people you trust, learn more about how a loved one’s incapacity is determined in relation to a living will, and advance directive, etc.

5. Insurance

It's essential that employees and their families understand what coverages are in place for life, health, legal, long-term/home care, disability, etc.

Speaking of insurance, having a legal insurance plan gives you a place to turn for the confidence to face these questions, with access to network attorneys who can provide legal counsel, review and draft documents and answer your estate planning-related questions. It’s a simple and affordable way to get things in order so your loved ones will know what actions to take on your behalf should you not be able to.

Simply put, a legal insurance plan helps you address these issues now so they won’t be burdens later.