Tough Questions To Ask Elderly Parents

According to the Financial Literacy Center, from an article in "New Man" magazine, there is a list of nine questions children of elderly parents should ask. I've no doubt they are important things...after all, the article is based on--centered around--financial issues. But it's amazing to me that these are touted as the tough questions. Questions such as "Do you have up-to-date wills?" and "Do you have hidden assets or liabilities?" It seems to me that these questions are fairly easy. The tough questions, in my opinion, are much more personal. Things like "Can you tell me about your past disappointments, accomplishments?, What do you fear, if anything, about growing older?, What is your biggest regret in life?" It seems to me that these are the really tough questions--and not always because a parent is reluctant to answer them. I think the real reason they are so tough is that we--their children--don't necessarily want to hear the answers.