Bringing up legal matters with parents can be uncomfortable for many adult children. However, it's an important step in the process of protecting your parents now and in the future.

Planning ahead is the single most important thing you can do to combat elder abuse and to help protect your aging parents.

Ten tips for initiating a legal discussion with your parents:

1 Talk about things now. Don't wait until it's too late. Incorporate a news article or a family member or friend's illness to springboard the discussion.

2 Enlist the support of other family members. To avoid unnecessary conflict, discuss and reach common objectives before approaching your parents.

3 Clearly explain why you are initiating the discussion. Your parents will be more willing to participate if they are fully involved in the reasoning behind preparation. It will be easier for your parents to divulge sensitive information if they understand that it will be used to protect their future.

4 Be sure to preserve your parents' sense of autonomy. They should be fully involved in any decisions affecting them, and you must respect that they still maintain the authority to choose the ultimate strategy.

5 Unless your parents' decisions are in direct conflict with their health or safety, you must respect their choices. While you may have a different idea of what needs to be done, your parents still maintain the control and right to make the final decision. Use this discussion to establish a clear understanding of your parents' wishes in the event one or both of them becomes ill or incapacitated.

6 Be patient and a good listener when your parents are speaking. Effective communication is derived from a two-sided conversation. Allowing your parents to respond to open-ended questions instead of force feeding them your own preferences allows you to get to the root of their intentions. This also helps you have a more comprehensive understanding of their end decisions.

7 Find out where all of your parents' documents and records are kept. Make sure all of their important paperwork is centrally located to help with ease of access and efficiency in the event they become incapacitated. Also, be sure to have a list of important contacts in the event an emergency occurs. Be sure to respect your parents' wishes if they don't want to provide these details.

8 Educate your parents about legal and financial options that they might not be aware of, such as power of attorney, guardianship, etc. By providing information to them, you will become a trusted resource which will further ease concerns about divulging sensitive information.

9 If the conversation does not yield anticipated results, either reevaluate your communications approach or suggest that your parents discuss the information with a professional third-party such as a financial planner or lawyer.

10 Keep the motto, "respect your elders" near and dear to your heart when communicating with your parents. By showing your parents that you respect them in what they have done for their lives and your life and that you respect their points of view, you help solidify the bond of trust. This will make it easier for your parents to turn to you for help.