Estate Planning Is About More Than Documents. It’s About Being Heard.
Major life changes have a way of pulling financial planning out of the “I’ll deal with this later” pile and placing it squarely in front of us. Suddenly, the things we meant to get to tomorrow, next month, someday feel urgent.
Estate planning, or legacy planning, is one of the most common examples. It’s also one of the most avoided. Talking about your own death is uncomfortable. Talking about it with aging parents can feel even harder.
Today, my father would have been 79 years old. He passed away last summer. While his death wasn’t entirely unexpected and we had done some preparation, the amount of work that followed was overwhelming. Life insurance and annuity claims. Bank accounts. Subscriptions. Digital logins. Loose ends that no one quite realizes exist until someone is gone.
Even when you remove the emotional weight, simply understanding and organizing another person’s life is difficult. When that person is someone you love deeply, it becomes even more challenging.
In her book Am I Going to Be Okay?, Patti Brennan suggests something simple and deeply human: writing a letter by hand to your children, grandchildren, or someone else you care about. A letter that talks about the world you lived in, the struggles you faced, and what mattered to you. The message is not advice or instruction. It’s reassurance. You’re not alone. You’re loved.
Blake Brewer does something similar through Legacy Letter, helping people put those thoughts into words and preserve them for the people who matter most.
Earlier this year, I decided to do something like this for my own kids. I wrote my first letter with the intention of writing one every year while I’m here. And when I’m not, they’ll still have a way to hear my voice. A small time capsule. A chance to travel back.
My father wrote poetry. Through his poems, I still feel connected to him. I do wish, though, that he had written something just for me.
Estate planning is often framed as documents, accounts, and legal structures. Those things matter. A lot. But legacy is also emotional. It’s memory. It’s presence.
Sometimes the most valuable thing you can leave behind isn’t a perfectly organized binder (Thought it is very helpful! More on it the future post). It’s a reminder that you were here, that you cared, and that your voice still matters.
The information shared in this article is intended only to provide general financial education, for informational purposes only. The information and opinions within should not be regarded as objective facts. The publisher cannot guarantee that content is accurate and updated to reflect changes in legislation, financial data, or opinion.
This content does not provide financial, tax, legal, or any professional advice. Personal financial decisions should not be implemented based on the content of this site. Do not act upon any information without first consulting a licensed investment, tax, or legal professional.
Igor Aronov, the publisher of this content, is a registered investment adviser representative and owner of FAR Financial Inc.