I have a couple of questions for you. Would you go to a tire store and buy four tires; to another store and buy a steering wheel; another store and get a motor; another store and purchase headlights and taillights; yet another store and buy car seats; and with all these items believe you now have a complete and functioning car?
I think I might be able to build a bicycle with all the right parts, tools, time, and a place to do it. I would definitely need directions or a model to go by. However, I’m also pretty sure I wouldn’t ride any bike I personally built.
Would you go to the lumber store and buy a bunch of two by fours, nails, plumbing and electrical supplies and declare to the world that you have a house to live in?
Of course not!
Now let me say right up front, there are some individuals that could build a car if they have all the materials. And, there are some people who could build themselves a house with all the right materials and tools. These are rare individuals.
Most of us buy an already assembled and put together car. We typically buy a house already built or we hire a contractor with skills, expertise, and experience to build a house for us.
Would you ever consider operating on yourself or one of your loved ones? Absolutely not (unless you happen to be a surgeon or you were stranded alone on a desert island). Even removing a splinter from your hand or foot when you’re a kid was a major ordeal with lots of ouches and some tears, depending on the size and ferocity of the invading wood sliver or brier.
I’m constantly amazed when I ask people about their legacy plan and they tell me they have a will and possibly some other legal documents and are; therefore, good to go. The belief that having a will and a Power of Attorney is a sufficient legacy plan is no different than declaring that you have a car or a house when all you really have are the individual pieces and parts.
There is another big problem with how most people create a legacy or estate plan: it is something created for someone else. Parents typically set up wills, trusts, and legal documents for their family and their heirs. That type of plan leaves the person creating it completely out of the package.
It’s like this: just because you have the pieces and parts of a car and the materials to build a house doesn’t mean you have transportation or a home even if you build it yourself. The thing about the car and the house – they both need you in them!
For a car to go it must have fuel and most importantly, it needs you to be in it driving it. Yes, I know we have cars that can drive themselves coming into the marketplace. But they aren’t perfected yet and are still in the testing phase.
Buying a house doesn’t make it a home. You have to be in it! Both the car and the house need life, events, and memories to have significance and do the job they are created for. Both things have certain “rules and/or laws” they must adhere to – to exist and function properly.
Cars need fuel; they are supposed to be on only one side of the road; they must be insured; and they require certain amounts of maintenance. Houses have to meet certain building codes; there may be HOA fees for their location; and they too, need maintenance or they will decay and fall down.
Once again, you are the key to making those things happen so the car and the house are fulfilling their purpose. You are also the key to your legacy plan. Any legacy plan worth anything is really all about you. Of course, it has a purpose beyond you – to take care of your loved ones after you’re gone; to get them where they need to go. But the legacy plan is truly all about you, your life, your story, your wishes, your hopes and dreams for how you’re to be remembered.
Like the car and the house, your legacy is something you should build with professional help.
When we buy a car or a house, we get certain basics but then we select options, or colors, or personalized license tags to make it demonstrate that it belongs to us and showcases our personality. All cars and houses have some basics and essentials but we all put our own stamp or twist on the ones we purchase to show the world that this particular car or house belongs to me.
Legacy planning is fun. It is telling your story and recounting your memories. Legacy planning is also deciding what options and basics are needed in your particular situation. Legacy planning needs to ensure safety for participants and meet the rules and covenants of the particular family. Legacy planning allows for options and personalization.
At The Guardian’s Gift, we work with you to tell your story and curate the pieces and parts of your life that are important to you and your loved ones. We are the contractors to assist you in building out the legacy plan that fits you and your family and gets everyone safely where they need to go.
Will you attempt surgery on yourself or a loved one or will you hire a professionally trained expert? Like a surgeon, we at The Guardian’s Gift work in concert with other professionals like a doctor who works with nurses, physical and occupational therapist, administrative staff, and other professionals to get you on a healthy path. We work with attorneys, financial managers, insurance agents, and other professionals depending on your needs.
Like a housing contractor we work with you using your blueprint, making sure you have the best building materials, subcontractors, and building codes adherence for time management and efficiency. We all want our loved ones living in a safe and happy home. We all want our loved ones cared for after we’re gone. That’s why we buy insurance. The Guardian’s Gift is your insurance policy for your legacy plan.
We’d love to chat with you about building your very own, highly personalized legacy plan. Of course, you can go about on your own and get the pieces and parts and put one together on your own. There will always be those talented individuals who can build a car or a house without help…but for most of us: we need some help.
Don’t let procrastination keep you from getting your very own biographical legacy plan.
or email us – [email protected]
~Dr. Judy
