You're preaching to the choir, girl! My father only had a will because the army made him get one before shipping him out. My mother never had one despite my constant begging. Then when she was 87, she asked me to draft one for her. Seems reasonable give I was practicing law at the time. However, she was suffering from dementia by that time, so I couldn't in good conscience draft a will for her or take instructions from her in that regard. I suppose it didn't matter, she didn't have anything except a hoard of junk and my brother was more than welcome to that.

The secrecy around money is one I experienced with my parents too. They were raised to find discussions around finances crass and impolite. And further, it was the business of grown folks, which even when I was an adult, I didn't qualify as to them.

I have insvested here and there, but only very conservatively. I have a fear, I won't lie. I'm terrified of losing what little I do have. I know it's what was born and bred into me. It doesn't make it any easier though.