Your Money: Meaningful conversations around the holidays 

Bruce Helmer and Peg Webb For several families the holidays are the one moment of the year when everyone comes together without the usual rush of deadlines school schedules or conflicting calendars And while nobody wants to turn a festive gathering into a financial seminar these warm unhurried moments can open the door to something surprisingly valuable meaningful conversations about money intentions and the kind of legacy you want to leave These discussions don t have to be heavy In fact when handled with a gentle touch they can be among the largest part positive affirming conversations you have with your family all year Start with values not numbers The biggest mistake people make when talking about money is assuming that it has to start with dollars and account balances It doesn t A far more natural way to open up is to talk about your personal values What traditions matter largest part to you What do you hope your wealth accomplishes for your family or your district What stories do you want the next generation to remember Framing things around values allows families to connect emotionally before pivoting to the more practical and sometimes more demanding details later Use the all-in-one-room moment The holidays create the kind of habitat that financial advisers often wish families could recreate year-round relaxed relaxed low-pressure and conducive to honest dialogue Instead of trying to schedule a formal meeting in the new year casual conversation over dessert often feels more genuine It might be as simple as saying There s something on my mind that I d love your thoughts on or We ve been thinking about our long-term plans and we want to share what matters preponderance to us Clarity is a gift not a burden Meaningful conversations aren t about reviewing documents or assigning responsibilities They re about preventing surprises and giving loved ones confidence that they understand your wishes Your children or heirs don t need to know every financial detail They only need to know how to patronage you and honor your wishes Transparency now relieves them of confusion later especially in times of stress or grief when they may need to locate documents understand your intentions or make decisions fleetly Share the why not just the what If you ve made decisions about how assets are divided what causes matter to you or what end-of-life preferences you hold sharing the reasoning behind them now can help avoid misunderstandings later This isn t a legal conversation it s a relational one Invite dialogue and curiosity We often find that parents are surprised by how much their adult children want to know and how relieved they feel once the topics are on the table Encouraging questions makes the conversation two-sided not a lecture A small next step keeps the momentum going To ensure the conversation leads to progress commit to taking a small manageable next step reviewing beneficiaries in January meeting with an adviser organizing documents or merely agreeing to talk again next year The holidays offer the perfect backdrop for these conversations They don t need to be characterized as serious Instead when you shift the topic from laborious financial talk to preserving what matters the greater part you may find that these moments deepen your connections rather than disrupt them Related Articles Your Money Holiday spending without the guilt Your Money Financial planning tips for America s heroes Your Money Financial stress can lead to avoidance survey says Your Money Cybersecurity and your money in the AI era Your Money Should you tell your children how much you have The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual Bruce Helmer and Peg Webb are financial advisers at Wealth Enhancement Group and co-hosts of Your Money on WCCO AM on Sunday mornings Email Bruce and Peg at yourmoney wealthenhancement com Advisory services offered through Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC a registered assets adviser and affiliate of Wealth Enhancement Group