Key take away:
There is a trope among personal finance reporters that a good talk with the family is the best way to avoid post-death struggles over your estate when you are gone. Sit down with your loved ones over the holidays. Let your children know your estate plans after you’re done carving the turkey, or opening presents underneath the Christmas tree. Tell them about your will, and how you’d like to see your belongings divided up. Convey some life values while you’re at it. Ask for their input. “The kids may surprise you with their own good ideas about how to sharing (sic) your estate
Then there’s reality. There’s barely a person over the age of 40 or so who does not come with a family squabble about, well, things following the death of a well-loved parent, grandparent, or family friend. At the high end, one hears about vacation homes that have been in the family for generations. But most disputes concern less valuable stuff. There are tales told of deeply loved relatives never spoken to again after battles over items like needlepoints and toolkits, living-room tchotchkes or costume jewelry. The battles are often over items that aren’t financially worth an hour of the most inexpensive lawyer’s time.
