When you die, your will (or trust or the state’s will) will spell out what you want to happen to your investments and personal property. Would you like to share anything besides your money with your family – your spouse/partner, children or grandchildren, even the ones that are too young to understand now or may not even be alive yet? What do you want them to remember about you or to do? What insights or special wisdom do you have? Are there blessings that you have for them? Are there things unsaid that are worth saying now?

The document you write that answers these questions is called an ethical will. It is a gift to those you love whenever they read it. There are considerable advantages for you too - spiritual meaning for yourself and a legacy.

When you write it, just talk from your heart. It does not have to be perfect right away – your ethical will can evolve over a period of time. A written (or electronic) document can be so much more effective than a conversation – it has legs. You can say what you want just the way you want to. If properly preserved, it can be around and of value for decades.

You can write your ethical will now or later. Of course, it is possible to wait too long. At some point you might no longer be able to write one. That would be a huge loss for you and for your family and friends.

For more information on this topic, go to:
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/learning/financialplanning or contact us.

All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however, we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy.