Legacy Planning takes into account the issues that occur
in life beyond the dollars and cents of investing and estate
management. It incorporates an individual’s most closely
cherished goals and values into a program that is not only
financially sensible, but also an accurate reflection of the
imprint you wish to leave on future generations. It is your
gift, to your family and, through charitable programs,
to your community. The secret of the Legacy Planner’s success is his or her
commitment to searching for what provides deep meaning
and a sense of significance for an estate owner. The search
for what we call “Legacy Clues” often yields surprising results,
and in almost every case lead to more satisfactory wealth
management, because the clues lead to structures that are
in tune with your personal goals as well as sensible financial
advice. It is a process that leads to a frank discussion of your
personal strengths and weaknesses and, quite candidly, your
blind spots. And, not surprisingly, many of our clients find the
search for Legacy Clues to be an enjoyable one – after all,
most of us promise ourselves we will sit down and assess our
lives at some point, but few of us actually make the time to
do so. With Legacy Planning, now is the time to address what
you have accomplished so far in life and where you want to
go from here. The Legacy Clues we discover are as varied as the people that
walk through our door. For many, a key concern is preparing
their children to handle their estates after their death – in short,
making sure their wealth is a blessing and not a curse. For others,
the search for Legacy Clues may uncover meaning in assisting
the homeless, medical research, or religious causes – a clue
which may motivate a client to put in place a trust that both
helps a beloved cause and improves the estate’s bottom line
at the same time. The son of a poor immigrant, now wealthy,
may want to fund a chair at a university so that others can have
the same educational opportunities he found so beneficial in
his youth. The possibilities are unlimited. The search for Legacy Clues begins with a Client or Family
Focus Session during which the important touchstones of the
estate owner’s life are discussed. It concludes with a written
statement called a “Family Wealth Directive” highlighting
your heritage, family financial philosophy and intent for your
wealth. Why is all this time spent on non-financial information
important? Without the enhanced clarity of purpose and the
motivational energy that comes from discovering it, the
important financial decisions to get you where you want to
go may not be made. Further, the Family Wealth Directive
provides guidelines and an accountability device that puts
you in control of the process. Whether you are making
decisions today, or your executors are making decisions
decades from now, you will have a clearly articulated
statement of values that should guide the design and govern
the management of your estate. © Legacy Planning Services Contact us through Become a Client for more information. ©2003 The Legacy Group. All Rights Reserved. |
