Regardless of your age, you’ve probably considered your future, created goals, and maybe you have even put together a written plan. Somewhere along the way you’ve heard the phrase “estate planning” but have asked yourself, what does that really even mean, does it even pertain to you, or do you even need one?
Estate Planning.
Estate planning is the process of managing and planning how to distribute your assets, naming beneficiaries and decision makers for your future, creating and recording legal documents such as a will, a trust and a power of attorney, and taking care of your personal affairs. Whether you are single, married, retired, working age, just starting out or a senior, an estate plan can protect everyone in every stage of life to make sure that if and when an unexpected life event happens, your wishes are legally protected and honored.
Legacy Estate Planning.
A legacy estate plan includes everything that a normal estate plan does but is more comprehensive. It allows you to not only prepare for your future but to record your past special memories, stories, traditions, photos, values and helps you to create your legacy. While they are included, a legacy estate plan goes far beyond just legal documents, allowing you to truly preserve your tangible and intangible assets. Recording your stories from childhood, marriage, beliefs, life lessons, special awards, major life events, your digital footprint, passwords, and anything that is important to pass along to those you love. In short, legacy estate planning focuses on the why and who that you are personally instead of just the what and how of asset distribution.
As an individual, having a legacy estate plan in place not only protects you, but provides peace of mind, gives you reassurance in the future, and minimizes stress and impact on your loved ones. As a business owner, offering this tool to your employees can reduce absenteeism, provide emotional support and strengthen professional relationships.
The Guardian’s Gift Time Capsule is a fully comprehensive guide that walks you step by step through creating your legacy estate plan. Each section is thought out to ensure that you are not only legally protecting yourself and your family for the future but also recording what is important from your past as well as all of the small but important pieces in between.
Ultimately, legacy estate planning is about more than preparing for the end—it is about honoring the life you’ve lived, protecting the people you love, and ensuring that your values, stories, and wishes are carried forward as a meaningful gift for generations to come.
