A Legacy of Love and Generosity

August 3, 2024

This August, in honor of National Make a Will Month, Palmer Home for Children encourages you to consider the positive impact you can have on children in need through legacy giving. Below, we explore important questions to help guide you as you think about your estate planning and the legacy you’ll leave behind.

When we think about crafting or updating our will, it’s often something we push to the back burner. Thinking about the future, especially our own absence, can feel overwhelming. What if we viewed creating a will as more than just a legal necessity? What if we saw it as an opportunity to pass on a legacy of love and generosity, a way to care for our family, loved ones, and causes that matter to us long after we’re gone?

Let’s explore five meaningful questions to ask yourself before you make or update your will. These questions are designed to spark conversations—whether with yourself, your spouse, or loved ones—and help align your values with the contents of your will.

1. How Do You Want to Be Remembered?

This is often the first and most important question to consider. It may feel daunting, but it’s a chance to shape the legacy you leave behind. Take a moment to reflect on the attributes and values that matter most to you. Would you like to be remembered as an honest, trustworthy person? A spiritual individual guided by a deeper belief? Or maybe as a parent who was fully present in the lives of your children? Identifying these qualities can help you structure your will in a way that reflects your personal values, ensuring your legacy is defined by what you hold dear.

Action Step: Start by listing three traits or values that represent how you want to be remembered. This exercise can be a meaningful first step in aligning your will with the impact you wish to leave behind.

2. What Are the Most Important Lessons You’ve Learned?

Over the years, you’ve gained wisdom through life experiences—wisdom that can be passed down to future generations. Whether it’s lessons about love, resilience, faith, or mistakes you’ve learned from, these insights are incredibly valuable to your family and loved ones.

Consider recording your life lessons in a letter, video, or journal to accompany your will. This will ensure your voice and guidance continue to resonate with your loved ones, offering them wisdom they can carry with them.

Action Step: Reflect on the defining moments of your life. What lessons did you learn from these experiences that you want your family to carry forward?

3. What Values Are Important to You?

Your will isn’t just about dividing assets—it’s a reflection of your values. These values may include your beliefs about family, faith, and philanthropy. Think about the causes and organizations close to your heart, like Palmer Home for Children, and how they might be part of your legacy.

This is an ideal time to consider supporting the organizations that align with your values. By including charitable organizations in your will, you can ensure that your legacy of generosity continues to make an impact even after your lifetime.

Action Step: Make a list of the core values and causes you want to support. Consider how you can reflect these values in your will by including organizations that matter to you.

4. What Stories Do You Want to Share?

Your life is a collection of stories, and these stories have the power to inspire, encourage, and guide future generations. Whether it’s sharing about your childhood, a significant challenge you faced, or a special trip you took, your personal stories are an incredible gift to pass on to your family. Writing these stories down or recording them on video can help preserve your family history while keeping your memory alive in a very personal way.

Action Step: Select a few meaningful stories to share as part of your will. Consider how these stories can reflect your values and offer encouragement to your loved ones.

5. What People and Organizations Embody Your Values?

Once you’ve answered the previous questions, it’s time to consider who will help carry out your wishes. From the executor of your estate to the guardian of your children, the people you choose to carry out your will should reflect your values and desires. Similarly, organizations that embody your beliefs, such as Palmer Home for Children, can be included as beneficiaries, ensuring that your legacy of care and generosity continues.

Action Step: Make a list of individuals and organizations that reflect your values and beliefs. This will guide you in naming beneficiaries, guardians, and charitable gifts in your will.

Two cute little sisters children running and playing in the meadow in the park on a warm sunny day, having fun and enjoying nature on a day off.

Plan Your Legacy at Palmer Home

National Make a Will Month is the perfect time to reflect on how you want to be remembered. By thinking through these five key questions, you can create a will that not only protects your loved ones but also honors your values and extends your legacy of generosity. At Palmer Home for Children, we’re here to help. For more information on how to leave a lasting impact at Palmer Home, contact a member of our Development team.

Incorporating these steps into your planning can transform your will from a simple legal document into a powerful testament of love, care, and values—ensuring that your generosity lives on.