Choosing how much to disclose around your decision-making process is a very difficult process. Plenty of families have one person in the family who steps up or always seems at the ready to help with these kinds of details.
Having one person as the go-to can be helpful because it reduces the conflict or coordination problems presented by having multiple family members at the same time. Secrecy might seem like another way to limit conflict, but it can actually lead to more infighting.
Everyone needs to know which person or parties have the ability and authority to act in the event of some type of emergency. That same person should be equipped with relevant information on where to find the documents.
But what about your formal estate plan? Do family members deserve to know who’s getting what? If the estate plan doesn’t distribute things equally, there’s a higher chance that one or more people will step up to file a will or trust contest. The challenge alone is detrimental to the estate since the appointed estate administrator will then need to spend energy and time fighting the will contest.
If that issue goes on for a long time, it could eliminate money inside the estate that would have been distributed anyways. If you’re keeping estate documents, it might be helpful to include a letter of explanation so that anyone concerned over the validity of such documents can hear why you arrived at the decisions you did.
Keeping silent also means that your loved ones might come to their own conclusions about your estate- they might even be making personal financial decisions based on what they expect from you since they have no reason to think otherwise. Even though it might be a difficult conversation, your decision to discuss your estate specifics
If you’re still grappling with questions about how much to tell your heirs when it comes to your estate plan, discuss all your options with an estate planning attorney. Finding a trusted Pasadena estate planning lawyer removes worry from your mind and replaces it with confidence.