Estate planning is important for preventing probate and helping a person express their wishes following their death. Estate planning allows them to determine how they want to pass down their assets and to give instructions to those they love.
Not all people have estate plans or wills, though. If your mom or dad doesn’t, then it’s time to look into ways to persuade them to talk to an attorney and put one together.
Some psychological tips can help you convince them to put together a will
There are several psychological tricks you can use to convince someone to do something they may not be keen on. For example, if your mom or dad does not want to talk about death or estate planning, you can still persuade them and show that it is important that they do so.
Some clever tricks that may help with this conversation include:
- Using the right body language. If you use hand gestures and eye contact, you’re more likely to be convincing than if you don’t.
- Repeat your request. Some people think of this as nagging, but if you do make the same request a few times in the right circumstances, they may relent. Even if you don’t convince your mom or dad to start their estate plan outright, you will get the idea into their heads and make them consider it.
- Provide them with data. A lot of the time, people avoid doing things they think they don’t want to do because they don’t understand why they need to or how they’ll benefit. Show the data about setting up an estate plan and how it could help your mom or dad during their lifetime, not just when they’ve passed.
These are a few tips to help you convince your loved one to put together an estate plan. You may want to discuss this with them and offer to set up an appointment with a provider who can help them with these legal documents. Remember, early estate planning can help with all kinds of issues that may arise during their lifetime or after their death.