Читать книгу Estate Planning Through Family Meetings - Lynne Butler - Страница 17

Plenty of people might like the idea of getting together with everyone and having a meeting, but most families are not in the habit of holding formal meetings. In fact a family meeting, particularly a formal one with note-taking and a chairperson, would be rare to nonexistent for the majority of families. Most of us would not know how to go about it, how to gain the cooperation of others, or what to do afterward to make everything legally effective.

In other families, there are topics that are not only left unmentioned, they are purposely avoided. In some families, subjects such as family finance or planning how to deal with the death of a parent are taboo. The parents simply do not wish to discuss financial or personal affairs with their children under any circumstances. These are the hardest families in which to hold a meeting because the culture of the family works strongly against the success of such a meeting. Generally emotions will run the highest in this type of family, making rational conversations about legal topics very hard to hold.

This does not mean it cannot be done. It means that extra care must be taken to preserve the privacy and dignity of the parents so that they are comfortable. It also means that the children in this kind of family must have time and encouragement to adjust to their new roles in the family.

Reading this book will give you both an overview to help you set realistic expectations for a family meeting, and detailed information on holding the meeting itself. Consider sharing the parts of this book that you find most helpful with your family members.