When he was 31, John Prendergast knew it was time to seriously discuss money with his mom and dad. Not because he needed help, but because he worried his aging parents would eventually need his. “My parents were much older compared to my peers, about the same age as everyone else’s grandparents, and had a number of health problems,” he says. “I was beginning to do shopping and other weekly chores and had to begin to think about what would happen when that wasn’t enough.”

What if? John thought. What if mom and dad suddenly couldn’t take care of themselves, including their finances? What if one parent died and the other were left needing financial help? Was he prepared to step in?

I’ve got a number of important steps to consider when talking to mom and dad. You’ll have to check out Learnvest.com for the rest. This is a terrific web site for all-things women and money. I just joined the team as a contributor.  I strongly reccommend you sign up (it’s free!) and make LearnVest a daily destination.