Can we talk about the future?

Estate Planning Facilitation + Mediation

Clear Communication. Thoughtful Decisions. Fewer Family Conflicts.

Estate planning is more than just paperwork—it’s about having a voice and ensuring your loved ones are cared for. But the process can bring up difficult conversations, complex emotions, and potential conflicts.

That’s where I come in.

As a mediator and facilitator, I help families navigate estate planning with clarity, communication, and collaboration.

Whether you need to make key decisions, move past stuck points, or determine how to involve your family in the process, I provide the structure and support to ensure thoughtful, informed choices.

Why Estate Planning Mediation Matters

Most people think of estate planning as something you do with an attorney or a financial planner. And that’s true—you need the right professionals to help you create legally binding documents and manage your assets. But what often gets overlooked is how decisions are made—and how those decisions affect relationships now and in the future.

That’s where mediation fits in.

Estate planning mediation focuses on the human side of decision-making. It brings together key stakeholders—spouses, adult children, siblings, trustees, business partners, or close friends—to talk through concerns, clarify intentions, and work through disagreements before they become unmanageable. With the support of a neutral third party, you can:

  • Make complex decisions more efficiently

  • Avoid misunderstandings and resentment

  • Ensure that everyone feels heard and respected

  • Reduce the likelihood of future legal disputes

  • Create a plan that reflects your values and priorities

Estate planning isn’t just about distributing assets—it’s about protecting relationships. Mediation helps you do both.

Mediation Can Help at Every Stage of Estate Planning

Whether you're just starting to think about your estate plan or trying to resolve a dispute after a loved one’s death, mediation can offer clarity, structure, and emotional support at any stage. Here’s how it works across the estate planning timeline:

1. Pre-Planning Stage

Many people avoid starting the estate planning process because they anticipate conflict or don’t know how to talk about sensitive issues like inheritance or end-of-life care. Mediation can break the silence and help you:

  • Begin open, productive conversations with family members

  • Address differing expectations about wills and trusts

  • Explore values and priorities that shape your legacy

  • Lay a foundation for cooperative decision-making

  • Discuss who should be involved in future planning conversations

This stage is ideal for families who want to take a proactive approach before working with an attorney, financial advisor, or estate planner.

2. During the Estate Planning Process

Once you begin creating or updating your estate plan, mediation can be a powerful support for collaboration and conflict prevention. It’s especially useful when:

  • Multiple people are involved in decision-making (e.g., spouses, adult children, business partners)

  • There’s disagreement about how assets should be distributed

  • You’re choosing guardians, trustees, executors, or healthcare proxies

  • There are special needs, blended families, or strained relationships involved

  • You want to balance input without getting stuck in endless debates

In these situations, I help participants stay focused, understand one another’s perspectives, and move toward mutually acceptable decisions—without anyone feeling steamrolled or sidelined.

3. Post-Death Disputes and Resolution

Even the most carefully crafted estate plan can lead to conflict after a loved one passes. Sometimes that’s due to unclear language in a will or trust. Other times it stems from longstanding family tension or perceived unfairness.

Mediation is a powerful tool for resolving these disputes before they escalate into costly, stressful litigation. I help families and fiduciaries:

  • Clarify ambiguous provisions or instructions

  • Facilitate conversations between heirs or beneficiaries

  • Prevent emotional disagreements from becoming legal battles

  • Navigate disputes over sentimental items, real estate, or business interests

  • Resolve will contests, claims of undue influence, or questions about capacity

In these moments of grief and high emotion, mediation provides a structured, compassionate space to sort through conflict without tearing families apart.

Common Estate Planning Situations That Benefit From Mediation

  • Co-decision makers struggling to agree.

    When spouses, siblings, or business partners must make joint decisions, mediation can help clarify priorities and resolve gridlock.

  • Guardianship and long-term care planning:

    Choosing guardians for children or outlining care preferences for aging adults often triggers emotional or generational tension. Mediation helps keep the focus on what matters most.

  • Special needs planning

    Ensuring lifelong care for a vulnerable loved one requires sensitivity and precision. Mediation ensures the right people are included and that concerns are fully aired.

  • Blended families and differing spousal expectations

    Navigating different assumptions about fairness, inheritance, or stepchildren's roles can be challenging. Mediation helps each voice be heard with respect.

  • Business or property co-ownership

    When multiple family members share ownership of a business, real estate, or other investments, mediation can facilitate succession planning, buyouts, or division strategies.

  • Adult children concerned about a parent's cognitive decline or decision-making capacity:

    Mediation can create a respectful environment for discussing concerns about aging, safety, and autonomy without resorting to legal intervention or guardianship battles.

Let's talk about your estate plans.

How I Support Your Process

As an experienced mediator and facilitator with a background in conflict resolution, systems thinking, and complex family dynamics, I offer a process that’s:

✔ Neutral and Confidential

I don’t take sides. My job is to create a safe, structured environment where all participants feel heard and respected. Everything shared in mediation is confidential.

✔ Customized to Your Needs

No two families or planning situations are the same. I tailor each session to meet your specific goals, personalities, and challenges.

✔ Focused on Communication and Clarity

I help you say what needs to be said—and hear what others are really trying to express. That’s often the key to finding agreement and moving forward.

✔ Integrated with Legal and Financial Advisors

I regularly work alongside estate attorneys, financial planners, CPAs, and care consultants. Mediation complements—not replaces—the legal work required to formalize your plan.

How Mediation Differs from Legal Advice

It’s important to understand that mediation is not legal or financial advice. While your attorney or planner ensures your documents are legally sound and your financial wishes are clear, mediation helps you:

  • Understand and address the human dynamics behind the decisions

  • Communicate your wishes effectively to loved ones

  • Engage family members in a healthy, non-adversarial process

  • Prevent future disputes that could undo your good intentions

When paired with skilled professional advisors, mediation strengthens your entire estate planning process.

Make Your Estate Plan a Legacy of Peace

The decisions you make now will echo long after you're gone. When estate planning is done thoughtfully and collaboratively, it becomes a gift of clarity, trust, and peace to your loved ones.

If you're ready to take a more intentional approach—or you’re already navigating estate-related conflict—I'm here to help.

 FAQs

  • Estate planning mediation is a structured, confidential process where a neutral third party (the mediator) facilitates conversations between individuals involved in creating, updating, or executing an estate plan. Unlike court proceedings or one-on-one legal consultations, mediation brings together all relevant parties—spouses, adult children, trustees, or other stakeholders—to address concerns, clarify expectations, and resolve disagreements. The goal is to reach mutual understanding and agreement before issues escalate into legal disputes. Sessions can take place in person or virtually and are tailored to your family’s specific needs and priorities.

  • Mediation is helpful at several key moments during the estate planning process:

    • At the start, when families are having trouble beginning difficult conversations

    • Midway through, if decision-making gets stalled or emotionally charged

    • After legal documents are complete, to ensure understanding and buy-in

    • Following the death of a loved one, when family conflict or confusion arises

    You should consider mediation any time communication breaks down, family relationships are strained, or complex decisions need to be made collaboratively.

  • Mediation is effective for a wide range of estate-related disputes and discussions, including:

    • Disagreements about inheritance or asset division

    • Conflicts between siblings or other heirs

    • Concerns about undue influence or elder financial abuse

    • Issues with unclear or outdated wills or trusts

    • Succession disputes in family-owned businesses

    • Long-term care planning and guardianship decisions

    • Special needs trust coordination and lifetime care planning

    Mediation is particularly helpful when participants want to avoid court but still need a structured space to work through disagreements.

  • Mediation is voluntary, non-binding, and focused on mutual agreement—unlike litigation or arbitration, which are more formal, adversarial, and often involve a judge or arbitrator making decisions for you. Mediation:

    • Preserves relationships instead of deepening conflict

    • Is usually faster and less expensive than going to court

    • Allows for more flexible, creative solutions

    • Keeps your family’s private matters out of public court records

    • Encourages cooperative planning instead of competition or blame

    It’s especially useful when the goal is to protect long-term family harmony and avoid irreversible damage caused by drawn-out legal battles.

  • ItGetting started is simple. Reach out via the contact form on this site to schedule a free initial consultation. We’ll talk about your goals, any challenges you’re facing, and whether mediation is a good fit. If we move forward, I’ll coordinate with you (and your attorney or planner if desired) to design a process that works for everyone involved.

    Mediation sessions can be held virtually or in person, and I’ll provide guidance every step of the way—from initial preparation to final resolution or agreement documentation.em description

Ready to Make Estate Planning Easier and More Peaceful?

You don’t have to navigate these decisions alone—or in conflict. Mediation provides the tools, space, and support to make estate planning smoother, more respectful, and more aligned with your values.

Let’s talk. Contact me here to schedule a free consultation and find out how estate planning facilitation and mediation can serve your family.