How To Leave a Legacy Gift Of Gratitude
During the month of November, many of us will think about gratitude as we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with our family as well as friends that feel like family. Legacy planning is another opportunity to focus on gratitude and what you are thankful for in your life because you have been blessed with time on this earth, family and friends, and possessions. By planning your legacy with estate planning, you are setting your loved ones up to be in a better position in the future.
In addition to helping clients with their estate plans and estate administrations, I am an author and speaker teaching people how to leave a legacy gift of love, faith, hope and gratitude by writing legacy love letters. A legacy love letter is a heartfelt final goodbye which is found and read after the passing of a loved one. A legacy love letter is more than an ordinary love letter because it has an everlasting impact. Your final words will be treasured long after your death by those who you leave behind because your letters will transcend time. Long after your passing, your loved one can read your legacy letter and they can still see your face, hear your voice, and feel your love.
A legacy love letter is separate from your legal documents. Upon your death, your will and trust provide only an inheritance of your real property and personal property to your loved ones. Yes, this does include the gift of your vehicle along with the clothes in your closet and the junk in your garage. In my expert opinion, a legacy love letter is more important than any other legacy document. I believe that your loved one’s memories of you and your legacy gift of love, faith, and gratitude is greater than the stuff.
This year is a special Thanksgiving holiday for my husband and I because we will celebrate with all three of our adult children who are coming home from college. My son is finishing his last year at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona; my oldest daughter is in her sophomore year at Biola University in La Mirada, California; and my youngest daughter is in her freshman year at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California.
My husband and I are looking forward to spending time with our college kids and I am glad they will be home to help here at my business, The Estate Planning Law Center. The law center has always been closed for Thanksgiving on both Thursday and Friday. This year we will join the Historic Jackson Business Association and partners by being open both Friday and Saturday night for the City of Jackson Christmas Delights Open House. It is my favorite event here on Main Street. Stop by the law center to say hello to my college kids and take a photo with our polar express train and enjoy a Ghirardelli peppermint chocolate. The city of Jackson has been getting ready for the holiday season and this year’s event is set to be bigger and better than ever!
Join us on Friday November 29th & Saturday, November 30th, from 6:00-9:00 pm! Starting with the tree lighting with Santa at 6:00 pm at the Jackson Firehouse. Then enjoy the Main Street shops open late, pictures with Santa, DeLIGHTful Bridge Tunnel of Lights, free carriage rides, North Pole Kids Workshop, public voting at the Festival of Trees, kids crafts at the Jackson Firehouse, and much more!
