FXBG Neighbors Podcast
Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast
FXBG Neighbors Podcast
EP #123 Estate Planning For Every Family
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Planning for tomorrow isn’t about fear; it’s about keeping your voice when life throws curveballs. We sit down with attorney Christina Parrish of Parrish Law Partners to unpack what real-world estate planning looks like when you blend legal expertise with lived caregiving experience. From the first shock of a health crisis to the quiet logistics of paying bills and accessing records, Christina offers a grounded path that helps families act with confidence instead of panic.
We explore the two sides of a complete plan: legacy planning that directs where assets go and incapacity planning that empowers someone you trust to make medical and financial decisions if you can’t. Christina brings a practical, finance-forward lens from her background in bankruptcy and business, showing how risk, titling, and beneficiary designations can make or break a plan. She reveals common mistakes—thinking a will alone is enough, ignoring powers of attorney, overlooking retirement account beneficiaries—and shares how to align everyday life with the documents meant to protect it.
You’ll hear why “you don’t need to be wealthy to need a plan,” how young parents can prepare for travel and guardianship concerns, and what adult children should do as their parents age. Christina’s boutique approach means clients get one-on-one counsel, clear steps, and a calm guide during tough moments. If you’ve put off wills, powers of attorney, or advance medical directives, this conversation turns a daunting task into a thoughtful checklist that protects relationships, preserves dignity, and reduces stress when it matters most.
If this episode helps you think differently about planning, share it with someone you love, subscribe for more local stories and practical insights, and leave a quick review to help others find the show.
Christina Parrish
Parrish Law Partners, PLLC
contact@parrishlawpartners.com
+1 540-712-6714
150 Riverside Parkway, Suite 115, Fredericksburg, VA 22406
This is the Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Dori Stewart.
What Parish Law Partners Does
Speaker 2Welcome back to another episode of the FXBG Neighbors Podcast, where we share the stories of our favorite local brands. I have a special guest joining me today. We've got Christina Parrish joining us, and she is with Parrish Law Partners. Christina, welcome to the podcast. Thank you for having me. I'm really excited for this interview, and I'm looking forward to getting to know you better in your business. So let's start there. Share with us a little bit about Parrish Law Partners.
Speaker 1Sure. Well, I am the Parrish of Parrish Law Partners, and Parrish Law Partners is a boutique law firm. And I focus on estate planning, probate, and estate administration. So my work just centers on serving as a trusted voice for families, navigating aging and trying to protect assets and long-term care risk. So I'm trying to help people make clear and strategic decisions during some of our life's most important transitions.
Speaker 2Yes, yes. Such an important role that you play in other people's lives. So I would love to dive deeper into your background. What got you into this?
Caregiving Journey That Sparked The Practice
Speaker 1That's an interesting question. So I don't know, you know, a lot of people, if they're in shoes like mine, but um about five years ago, um, I kind of was introduced to the role of kind of caregiver. I have aging parents, and it's not something that I think anyone thinks of until I think they go through it. So um, like most people, I had a parent that fell ill and I came back home to help. And um there's a lot of logistics that go around that. And um, as I was going through it, I started to learn more and more, and I started to share what I learned with others. So naturally, I started to explore how I could better incorporate that in my life.
Speaker 2Amazing. Amazing. So were you always interested in uh the law, or was it something that you were already interested in the law? And this was kind of like a specialty that kind of spake, yeah, spoke to you.
Speaker 1So I mean, I'm a Virginia attorney, um, but and I've been an attorney since when? 2009. So I've been an attorney for a while. But my background is in bankruptcy and business. Um, but you know, it kind of ties in though. So it gives me um the ability to share my experience with analyzing assets, risk exposure, um, and just looking at financial situations. So I really believe that that perspective helps individuals and families to make strategic decisions um that protect what they've built and to prepare for the realities that just come along with aging and long-term care.
Myths About Estate Planning
Speaker 2Yeah, yeah. So, do you find that there are any myths or misconceptions about estate planning?
Speaker 1Absolutely. Um, I think I have two that I love. Um, first, I wish that more people knew that you don't have to be wealthy to have an estate plan. Matter of fact, everybody needs an estate plan, not just the wealthy. Um, and second, estate planning isn't just about death planning, it's also about um what happens if you can't make decisions for yourself anymore. And I refer to that as incapacity planning. So um not only do we want to make sure that our wishes are honored when we're gone, we want to make sure that when we can't speak for ourselves, we have someone that we trust that can make those decisions on our behalf.
Life Outside The Office
Speaker 2Yeah, I'm really glad that you mentioned that. I I bet I imagine there's a lot of people who think, yeah, I don't have much to pass on, so I don't need to go through all of this, but really everyone needs everyone needs an estate plan. Mm-hmm. So let me ask you this. Clearly, you work very hard. What are you doing for fun when you're not working?
Speaker 1When I'm not working. So when I do find that time, um, let's see, I love to be near the ocean. I love water. Um, every chance I can get, I try to find water. Um, I love a good audiobook. Um, whenever normally if I'm waiting in the car for one of my children during their many uh practices, um, I'll just put on an audiobook. Um, I can never get tired of the office reruns. I've seen them all over and over and over again. I am a super fan and I do have one quirky pastime. I am, who would like to call it, a CVS super shopper. Like I love the long CVS receipt. Like it really brings me joy to just save, you know, compounded amounts when you combine all of those coupons together. Like I really get giddy when I get back in the car and to see how much I've I think that is so fun.
Speaker 2Uh, and I'm not surprised because you clearly have a financial brain, right? You did a lot, you do estate planning. So it kind of all makes sense.
Speaker 1I never thought of it that way, but I mean, I get excited when I go to CDS and I get those emails like you've been selected to save 40. I'm excited because I can save it somewhere.
Speaker 2Yeah. What do you love most about what you do?
Speaker 1What do I love most? I don't I think that I love I love helping people the most. And I know that sounds generic, um, but I've been in their shoes. I am in their shoes. I'm still living in their shoes. So I feel like I wish I had someone to kind of come alongside me and hold my hand and to kind of give me step-by-step instructions of what to do when you know your loved one, you know, fell ill or had a stroke or ended up, you know, in a place where they can no longer take care of themselves. Like, because you don't know until you get there and you don't know what you don't know. Um, so it just makes me feel warm and fuzzy to say, you know, to someone, not something that I learned in a book only, but something that I've also learned through just walking through life myself. So um I think that it's a it's an honor and a privilege to come alongside someone in such a tender and vulnerable state to say, hey, you know, I get what you're going through and let me help you get through it.
Speaker 2So I love that. I love that. You you do play such an important part in people's lives, and so I imagine there's a lot of relationship building and trust building with your profession, right? And the fact that you've lived through it, you have that empathy where you can connect with people.
When To Start Planning
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah. It's a it's a rough time sometimes that people are going in, and you know, people come in my office in all states. I have young families that come in and say, Hey, we just realized that we can't travel together because what if something happens to one of us? And you know, what will we do? So, like, can we get something in place? I get that. Or, you know, I've now everything's falling on me now because you know, I had to put, you know, my mom or my dad in a facility, and now I don't know even where to start. And sometimes, you know, you kind of want to say, I wish you came to me several years ago so because I can help you get a head start on, you know, some things so that you maybe wouldn't have had such a difficult time now. So it's not something that anybody really wants to think about, you know, when you think about aging or even death. But and I don't think I could have done this particular practice area until now, until I reach this stage in my life because I just can't, I didn't have anything to connect it to. Um, so I can see why it's a concept that kind of can take people by by shock a little bit. Um, and I think that I try to come alongside and help disarm that shock because I can say, here, look at me. I'm in it, I've been through it, I'm still going through it, and um, you know, I'm still walking, I'm still talking. So you can get through too.
Speaker 2When should people contact you? Like, when is the right time? How young is too young?
Speaker 1I don't think anything is too young because we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. Um, when I first um started looking into this, and um, like I said, my my parents, of course, they're older, but I have friends that I've gone to law school with who've lost spouses, and I'm in my 40s. I've had, you know, um friends that have lost, you know, children, and you just don't know what life is going to bring you. So I think that when you have presence of mind to realize who you love and who you want to protect, that's the right time to come in. So there's no wrong time. Every time's the right time.
Speaker 2So yeah, yeah. What is something that you wish the listeners knew about Parrish Law Partners?
Speaker 1Hmm. Well, um I'm pretty much an open book. So I think that that's one thing that you should know that um just because you're coming to a law office, it's not stuffy. It's me. Right now, I'm a one-woman show. So when you when you come, you're gonna see me. You're not gonna see um someone else to greet you at the door. You're not gonna see someone else to come and talk to you about your case or your issues, you're gonna get me. So um, I don't despise humble beginnings. I am just starting out, um, but you should know that what you see is what you will get.
Speaker 2I love that. Well, you're gonna get the personal touch for sure. Yes. I love that. I love that. Well, Christina, thank you so much for joining me on the podcast. If the listeners want to connect with you, if they want to learn more from you, where can they find you?
Speaker 1Sure, and thank you for having me. Um, the best place to go is my website. It's you know www.parrishlawpartners.com. There you'll find more information about what I do, where you can find me. And if you really want to come and have a chat with me, just give us a call and we'll set you up with an appointment.
Speaker 2Amazing. Amazing. Christina, thanks again for joining me on the podcast.
Speaker 1Thanks so much for having me.
SpeakerThank you for listening to the Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to FXBG NeighborsPodcast.com.