There’s a certain quiet elegance to knowing where things stand, especially when it comes to your Florida estate plan. Not just emotionally, but financially, legally, and practically. That’s why at Welch Law, PLLC in Jupiter, Florida, we tell families: talk to your children before life forces the conversation. It’s rarely a topic anyone rushes toward. Parents don’t want to discuss mortality. Children, especially college-aged, don’t want to imagine a world without their parents. Yet the truth is, silence costs more than discomfort ever will.

A Florida Family’s Wake-Up Call

Take a real family from right here in South Florida.

Their patriarch, a successful attorney, passed away suddenly at 61. He never created a will. His wife, later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at 70, had no idea how to access their accounts or manage their assets. Their son, himself raising two daughters in Palm Beach Gardens, was forced to sift through decades of paper files, unpaid bills, and unanswered questions.

That son swore his own children would never face that burden. When his daughters came home from college last summer, he sat them down in my office, not to lecture, but to prepare. They reviewed his estate plan, his healthcare directives, his life insurance policies, and even who to call if both parents were ever incapacitated.

No, it wasn’t a typical Friday afternoon. But it was one of the most valuable family meetings they’ll ever have.

Why the Conversation Can’t Wait

In our Jupiter office, we see it too often: families blindsided because no one ever said, “Here’s what happens if something happens.”

A recent AARP article noted that the average person doesn’t begin planning for their parents’ end-of-life affairs until age 50—when their parents are already in their 70s or 80s. But fate doesn’t read calendars.

In Florida, incapacity and death create immediate legal consequences. If a parent becomes incapacitated without a durable power of attorney, their children may need to petition for guardianship, a process that can take months and cost thousands. Without a healthcare surrogate designation, even making medical decisions can become a courtroom issue.

These are avoidable problems. And avoiding them starts with an open conversation and a well-crafted estate plan.

What Every Adult Child Should Know

If your children are named in your estate plan, as executors, trustees, or agents, they need to know before the crisis hits.

At Welch Law, we recommend discussing these essentials:

• Roles and Responsibilities: Explain who is your personal representative (executor), successor trustee, healthcare surrogate, and financial agent under your power of attorney.

• Location of Documents: Keep your will, living trust, durable power of attorney, and healthcare directives in a secure but accessible place, like a fireproof safe or with your attorney.

• Financial Accounts: List your bank, investment, and retirement accounts, along with any life insurance or annuity contracts.

• Digital Access: Don’t forget your online accounts, emails, banking apps, and crypto wallets. Your heirs need access, and that means planning for it legally through tools like the Welch Crypto Trust™.

• Real Estate: Provide copies of your deed, property tax records, and information about mortgages or homestead exemptions under Florida law.

• Professional Contacts: Include your estate planning attorney, CPA, and financial advisor.

Children should also understand what happens if both parents pass away. Typically, the surviving spouse is named as the primary executor or trustee, with adult children serving as alternates. When that happens, they become the managers of your estate—and they need to know what that actually entails.

The Florida Reality: Incapacity Happens

Incapacity doesn’t just happen “to other people.” Florida’s senior population is growing faster than nearly anywhere in the country. With it comes an increased likelihood of dementia, strokes, or accidents that impair decision-making.

Parents should create and discuss:  a durable power of attorney and healthcare surrogate designation while they’re healthy. If not, their adult children could be left powerless to manage even simple affairs like paying utility bills or accessing online accounts.

That’s why we encourage families, especially those in Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, and Tequesta, to schedule a “family summit” every few years. Bring your adult children into the loop. They don’t need to know the dollar figures, but they do need to know the framework.

Proactive Planning Builds Peace

There’s no perfect time to talk about estate planning. But every day you wait increases the risk of confusion, resentment, and chaos later.

An estate plan is more than documents, it’s a roadmap. And the best time to hand your children the map is while you’re still around to guide them.

At Welch Law, PLLC, we don’t just draft documents. We build legacies. Whether your family is navigating a trust, long-term care planning, or cutting-edge digital assets, our team ensures your plan is clear, Florida-compliant, and ready for whatever comes next.

Because when the moment comes, and it always does, clarity is the greatest gift you can leave behind.

By:  Edward J. Welch, Esq. ||| Estate Planning | Wills | Trusts | Asset Protection | Welch Crypto Trust™

If you would like to discuss your legacy options with an estate planning attorney in Jupiter or Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, schedule a complimentary call with Edward J. Welch at Welch Law, PLLC.  At Welch Law, WE WANT TO DRAFT YOUR LEGACY!

Reference: AARP (September 15, 2025) “We Told Our Young Adult Kids All About Our Money—Here’s Why”