Always an advocate for open conversations around money and financial planning Kathy Longo recently shared her expertise with Barron's for their article, How to Talk to Your Family About Money.
By Kathy Longo, CFP®, CAP®, CDFA
A few years ago, my Mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Cancer, which prompted some quick changes in our family as we were not prepared for a medical crisis. The first priority was to find the best medical care possible, meaning a sudden move from her cabin life in Northern Wisconsin to Minneapolis where she would have access to significantly more medical resources. My parents moved in with our family during her 6-month treatment plan, which was both a blessing and a challenge. I am happy to report that my mother is doing well and has been “cancer free” for a couple of years. However, the medical crisis made me realize the importance of getting in front of medical and financial matters before it is too late. We were fortunate that this was an opportunity to update her estate documents, organize her finances, and get a long-term medical plan in place. As I work with clients, I usually ask about their parent s’ health and finances. The most common response is that their parents don’t talk about money, they are too private to discuss finances, or that money was a taboo topic growing up.
Kathleen Longo offers advice to blended families and money conversations in her blog titled: Blended Finances and Family Values
Shared by The BAM Alliance, December 10, 2015
A couple’s money conversations can be complex, as each individual brings to the relationship their unique family history surrounding money, values, financial resources and obligations. And financial conversations take on a whole new meaning when kids are involved, as parents wrestle with spending decisions on allowances, education funding and, eventually, inheritances.
