What will be your legacy month?

Legacy is anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor.  This could be in the form of what you have earned/accumulated as well as more intangible gifts, such as what you have learned, your values, and giving of yourself to better the world around you.

August is “What Will Be Your Legacy” month. To promote this initiative we invite you to write down a statement of what legacy you would like to leave behind. We hope that this invitation will prompt you to reflect inward to find the answer. Chuck Palanahnik says, “The goal isn’t to live forever. The goal is to create something that will.” Whether that “something” that you leave is physical or psychological/abstract, the key here is identifying what it is, in order to live a more purposeful life.

Once you have identified your legacy you have essentially locked this target into your life. You can begin to be very intentional with your actions. Finding what legacy you would like to leave is important for this very reason. You can begin to be intentional with your actions and effectively prepare and protect the legacy you are leaving.

As briefly mentioned above, leaving a legacy can take many forms. With physical legacies (ex: assets), having proper documentation in place is critical so that your wishes are carried out and in the most seamless manner.   Wills, trusts and other estate planning documents become important here.  Intangible legacies, such as experience, insight, and wisdom are just as or more important to relay throughout life.  Without an appreciation of the work and wisdom that went into building the wealth received, heirs may have a more difficult time retaining the physical legacies.

We are here to tell you that our advisors can help you bridge the gap for the generations to come, but you need to take the first steps.

As Dr. Seuss once said, “Today I shall behave as if this is the day I will be remembered.”