The Voice of a Legacy
One afternoon not too long ago, a young woman carried a cup of
tea to her family room and sat down. Her mother had recently passed away. The
day after the funeral she received a letter addressed in her mother’s
handwriting. Grief had prevented her from opening it until now. She was
surprised to see the date on the letter—some ten years earlier.
My Dearest Beth,
The fact that you are reading this means that my life on
this earth has passed. No tears, please! You should take this time to
celebrate our life as a family, and to rejoice for the marvelous years that
are ahead for the life you will create with your own family.
I remember the day your father and I brought you home after
you were born. While I was excited about our new life as a family, I could
not possibly have imagined the joy and blessings that were to come! Of
course, you will recall the “upside-down days”—those days when tempers
flared and tears were shed—but with you, they were few. Your smile and
boundless energy never ceased to amaze us. But mostly, your gratitude for
each new day was a gift that your father and I never tired of.
As you grew, we tried to instill in you the values we held
dear—love of God, family, and humankind; generosity; education; a fulfilling
career; and financial independence. As you continue your own journey, I’d
like to pass on one last bit of parental advice and ask you to reflect on
these questions:
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How did I get to this place?
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Who has been important to me and why?
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What have I learned from my experiences?
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What things have I done in my life that really mattered?
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What would I like to accomplish in my lifetime?
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What values and lessons would I like to pass on to the
next generation, and how do I do that?
Just as your father and I provided for our family and the
church through careful legacy planning, take some time as you enter this new
phase of your life and think about what God expects of you as a steward of
his creation. In a world of both want and abundance, what are your
responsibilities with respect to wealth? What will you write to your
children as you think about your life experiences?
Thank you, my precious daughter, for the priceless gift of
your unconditional love and the mischievous twinkle in your bright blue
eyes. May your gift of laughter and love continue to bring joy to all.
Your Loving Mother
Beth had heard her parents use the term “legacy,” but it wasn’t
until that moment that she understood it. She thought of Jacob 2:23–24: “But
before you seek for riches, seek for the kingdom of God. And after you have
obtained a hope in Christ, you shall obtain riches, if you seek them; and you
will seek them, for the intent to do good, to clothe the naked, and to feed the
hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the
afflicted.”
“It is time,” she mused, “to consider my own legacy. How will my values
determine my goals? How will my goals determine my priorities and my priorities
guide my money management decisions? How will I direct the distribution to
others of all that I accumulate, both material and nonmaterial?” The list of
what her family had accumulated surprised her: inner peace, wisdom, heirlooms,
pictures from SPEC and youth camp, IRAs, certificates of deposit, stock options,
real estate.
She knew her family had benefited from her parents’ planning.
Thank you, Mother, for the legacy you and Dad took so much care to establish,
she mused. It is time for me to continue what you began.
What Will Your Legacy Say about You as a Disciple?
Here we stand at the threshold of a brand-new year, full of hope
and promise. There is no time like the new year to start a fresh chapter in our
lives—one that reflects our desires to be committed disciples—including passing
on cherished values to our children—and preparing our plans for God’s gifts.
Some may ask, “How is it possible to give voice to a legacy when
we don’t feel we have a legacy to leave?” One way is to create carefully
thought-out legacy essentials. In fact, part of the emphasis of Tithing: A
Disciple’s Generous Response is: “Disciples save wisely in order to create a
better tomorrow for themselves, their heirs, the church, and the world.”
Estate and Financial Planning specialists are ready to assist
you in learning how. You can give voice to your legacy through the following:
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2007 IRA Rollover Opportunity (United States) for
contributors age 70 1/2 and older during 2007. View a video on the Estate
and Financial Planning Web site at
www.CofChrist.org/estate/ways/asp.
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RRSF—Registered Retirement Savings Plan (Canada)
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RRIF—Registered Retirement Income Fund (Canada)
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Gift Annuities (life income)
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Charitable Remainder Trusts (life income)
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Bequests through Wills and Living Trusts
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Securities (stocks, bonds, mutual funds)
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Real Estate and Business Interests
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Retirement Plans
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Life Insurance
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Pooled Income Fund
These and other legacy planning tools are available online at
www.CofChrist.org/estate. While there, sign up for the free Financial Planning
eNewsletter, where you’ll find personalized Web presentations, Savvy Senior
Column, articles on planning alternatives, and financial updates on stocks,
bonds, and interest rates.
Are you ready to open a new chapter in your life that will give
voice to your legacy for God’s gifts? The Estate and Financial Planning team is
here to help. Phone us at: 1-800-884-7526 (1-877-526-7526 in Canada). E-mail us
at efpm@CofChrist.org. Visit our Web
site at www.CofChrist.org/estate.
—Sandra Ferguson reporting with Terry Smith
Herald, December 2007
Legacy Essentials:
Four Reasons People Avoid Preparing a Legacy Plan:
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They think that preparing a legacy plan is costly.
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They have a distaste for legal documents.
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They believe they have too little property to merit an
estate plan.
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Life gets in the way.
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