What would bring your family peace of mind?
It's amazing how a simple question can have a big impact.
That's what happened when a friend asked Oliver and Mae if they had ever talked to their children about peace of mind around their financial planning.
"It never occurred to me," said Oliver.
"Me neither," said Mae.
So that's exactly what they did.
They started by emailing their four millennial children and asked, "What does peace of mind mean to you around our later-in-life planning?" Every incremental step can change the trajectory of your family conversations and planning.
Here are some of the responses that came back: One daughter gave a great summary of peace of mind.
"I guess my overarching desire is for you to plan long before it's necessary and have conversations with us early on so there's no guesswork or worry.
That feels like the definition of peace of mind." Given these responses, it's not surprising that the Later-in-Life Conversations Study identified "peace of mind" as the top-ranked topic for the next generation.
It's about reducing anxiety in the family system by ensuring family members have the information they need to navigate whatever the future brings.
You may be surprised how much you learn just by asking about peace of mind.
Consider starting a peace-of-mind conversation with your family.
You will likely have a similar experience to what Oliver and Mae discovered.
"I was so glad we asked them about it," said Mae.
"I never knew how to start a conversation like that.
It opened the door to a whole series of planning conversations that involved them." Ask about peace of mind to explore what your family is wondering and worrying about ...
you'll always learn something.
Get started Ask open-ended "what" and "how" questions while holding off on sharing your views.
It sounds like, "What would bring you peace of mind today?
Okay, tell me more about that." Senior generation Talk to your children about their experience of your planning without thinking about making decisions or solving problems.
Next generation Share with your parents what you wonder about or how you might like to be involved in planning without expectations.