Having a will and a plan for your estate may be the most important act of love you can do for your family and favorite ministries.
When you create an estate plan it is important to seek legal counsel to ensure your desires will be accomplished. However, before you seek that counsel, here is a simple process to help you formulate your desires.
Make a listing of your people.
By that we mean, make a list of individuals to whom you wish to give because they depend on you. Then make a second list of others to whom you wish to give simply because you love them. Remember that the charitable organizations you support fit both criteria.
Next, make a listing of your property, including approximate values.
Add up those values, as if they were cash, then ask yourself, “If death had occurred last night, how would I distribute the cash among the people?” Then pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you in your decisions.
You may find this more difficult than you first imagined. But do not be discouraged. There are techniques and tools available that can help you achieve your goals. To that end, we offer some help.
We have prepared Your Estate Planning Guide to help you work through this process. Whether you are reviewing an existing estate plan or have not yet taken that first step in this important act of stewardship, you can download the guide below.