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Writing a will or trust is strictly for legal tasks, such as naming your executor/trustee, beneficiaries of your property, and guardian for your children. As you think about your estate plan, you may find that you also want to:
Using an Explanatory Letter
Although these sentiments are encouraged, they should not be included within the text of your will or trust, because adding general information, personal statements, or reasons for making or not making a bequest risks the possibility of producing a document with conflicting, confusing, or potentially even illegal provisions.
If it is important that you have a final say about personal matters without seriously risking your will’s integrity, we suggest that you write a letter to accompany your will expressing your thoughts to those who survived you. Because what you say in the letter will not have legal effect as part of your will, there is little danger that your expressions will tread upon the legal language of the will or cause other problems in the future. In fact, if your will is ambiguous, a judge make look to your letter to shed light on your intentions and to help clarify the will.
However, it is extremely important that the statements in your letter do not contradict the provisions in your will. Any contradictions could create interpretations problems after your death, which may lead to lawsuits and family turmoil.
Keeping these precautions in mind, writing a letter to your friends and family, explaining why you wrote your will as you did – and knowing they will read your reasoning at your death – may give you a great deal of peace of mind during your life. It may also assisting in explaining potential slights and hurt feelings of surviving friends and family members.
What to Include in Your Letter
What to include in your letter is completely up to you. It can be long or short, funny or intense, verbose or succinct. Below are some ideas of you might want to include:
Here at Atlanta Financial, we are dedicated to making life’s journey richer for you and your family. Call me at 678-282-0296 for a complimentary consultation as part of our Second Opinion service.
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Atlanta, GA, December 10, 2020 – We are pleased to announce Five Star award winners Julianne F. Andrews, MBA, CFP®, AIF® and Cathy C. Miller, MBA, CFP®, CRPS®, CDFA®’s appearance in a Women in Wealth special section in the December 2020 issue of Fortune magazine. The “Women in Wealth” supplement highlights Atlanta area women who “stand out” in their industry.
There are very few concepts that can strain relational dynamics and provoke anxiety quite like discussing money with family, especially your young adult children. It generally isn’t something many parents are comfortable doing, and that is under “normal” circumstances. The stress is typically compounded when these conversations occur under duress or will inevitably induce major conflict within the family unit. Sometimes the circumstances are unforeseeable and the stress unavoidable. But many times, the contention can be avoided by simply being intentional and having these tough conversations now and on your terms.
Before you know it, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season will be upon us. In order to minimize stress and maximize your gifting abilities, it’s important to keep in mind a few details that you may or may not be aware of when it comes to charitable gifting.
Medical school students graduate with an average student loan debt of $192,000, according to a 2017 survey.1 And with a demanding career ahead of them, most healthcare workers could use the help of a dedicated financial professional. From tackling student loan debt to preparing for retirement, an advisor can help take the lead on managing your biggest financial goals. As you begin your search for a financial partner, consider looking out for these four signs.
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