The month of November is about reflecting on those things for which we are thankful. Estate planning includes more than just financial and legal matters. Although the primary objective of estate planning is to ensure that you and your family are taken care of, it goes beyond those goals. It is also important that you consider passing on your values and life stories.
Have you ever heard of an Ethical Will? An Ethical Will is a message of your beliefs, life lessons, and hopes for the future. Simply put, it’s how you want to be remembered.
Are you wondering if an Ethical Will is something that you could do? The answer is as simple as the Ethical Will itself. With whatever limitations you believe you have, you most certainly can write your very own Ethical Will. Anyone can. It is a work of the heart, not an art piece. And you can do it in a meaningful way that will bring joy and inspiration to others while imparting the values you cherish. It is about who you are, what you stand for, or the faith that sustains your life. You can write in any style you like. It is not an English assignment, and there are no grades. It does not have to be perfect. You CAN get it done, put it away, and forget about it. And you’ll rest easy at night knowing you have given the gift of a lifetime!
My grandfather passed away suddenly, giving me no chance to say goodbye. It has saddened me for more than 39 years. My grandmother survived him for 20 years. She had cancer, and we had six months to say goodbye. However, I was just as devastated at her loss as I was at his.
For years I have advised clients to write “love letters,” also commonly known as “ethical wills,” to their loved ones to be read during their lives or after their passing. The loved ones of those clients who followed my advice and since passed are very grateful. I wish I had a letter from my grandfather and grandmother, in their handwriting, made especially for me, that I could read when I miss them.
Can you imagine what an indescribable thrill it would be for second, third, and fourth-generation children to uncover (and hold in their hands) personal writings that share their forefathers’ very heart and soul?
What a remarkable feeling it would be to have a “circling of the wagons” of a family’s trail of words and values. For the recipients of such a blessing, there are feelings of completeness and belonging, incredible gratefulness, significance, understanding, and love.
EVERYONE who receives such a legacy agrees – it was a gift they didn’t even know they were looking for, and one more priceless than they’ve ever received.