8 essential conversations to have with your aging parents
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This story was originally published on Sept. 25, 2023, and has been updated.
Cameron Huddleston was 35 when her mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
Trying to ask her mom about her financial situation and end-of-life plans while she was showing signs of memory loss was a challenge. "When there's an emergency, it's a lot harder to have a rational conversation," she says. "Your emotions are all over the place."
Life Kit How to talk to your parents about their money How to talk to your parents about their money Listen · 20:05 20:05
That's why Huddleston, a financial journalist, wants people to start talking to their parents about these topics early. Ask them about their plans for retirement, how they will pay for health care if they get sick, and what will happen to their property when they die. She covers these subjects in her 2019 book, Mom and Dad, We Need to Talk: How to Have Essential Conversations with Your Parents About Their Finances.
Huddleston explains how to broach this conversation with your parents — and which documents and plans they should have in place.
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