Create Your Ultimate Legacy

Legacy can mean different things to different people. Creating your Ultimate Legacy is a journey that involves individual stops along the way. We can take this journey with you. No matter what stage of journey you are in, we can help you with defining, sharing, capturing, and starting your ultimate legacy.

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DEFINING LEGACY

Legacy Reflections - Sentiment Box

View a sample of Michael’s personal Legacy reflections.

If you ask a lawyer what legacy means, you will usually hear a textbook definition: “It is a gift of money or property made in a will.” Webster’s defines it also as “…something transmitted by or received from an ancestor.”

But legacy has a broader meaning. In this context it does not mean necessarily great feats or accomplishments during your life. We all achieve varying degrees of success and meet our fair share of disappointments, but I think everyone has a story to tell that they hope will have an impact on those that come after them.

Legacy in this context answers the question: If you had the opportunity to share your dreams, visions, and wisdom with your son or daughter, what would you say? The answer to this can have a dramatic impact on the lives of the people you care about.

SHARING LEGACY STORIES

We should share not only our stories, but our intentions with our family frequently. We are here to help you with this very important dialog. I can remember listening to my grandmother, my YiaYia, tell me stories about the old country and the trials and tribulations she had as a young girl. I loved her gentle way and peaceful nature. The way she cared for us and ran her day-to-day chores is a testament to the kind of person she was. One day we got together around the kitchen table and talked—that was where most conversations took place in our Greek household. I set up a cassette recorder (yes, I am dating myself…) just in the off chance that I could capture great words of wisdom. She told some wonderful stories that day and even sang a little, and I got it all on tape. I had the honor to capture that tremendous opportunity for my family, especially those who did not have the opportunity to meet my YiaYia, and it will be a treasure of immense value for generations to come.

My grandmother was a great woman with a huge heart. She could make everything and everyone feel better just by her presence. I never heard her say a harsh word to anyone, and we were all better for having known her.”
MICHAEL STUART

These are the types of stories we are hearing from our clients and we are incorporating them into their planning. People relate to their stories, and that is how they relate to their legacies – how they would like to be remembered by the people they love. People are concerned about being fair with their children, promoting family harmony, giving back to their community and providing a measure of security for their families that may not have been available to them. Charitable legacies are often discussed as a way to bring and keep the family together to learn about how to properly give money or talents. Such discussions can also outline the organizations the family feels are important while serving as the training ground for younger members of the family to understand the concept of giving back.

The receipt of a gift of money, during lifetime or at death, can impact the beneficiaries by making their lives better or by bringing a set of unexpected challenges. More importantly, many people want to share their vision for their families so that future generations will understand the love and hard work that went into the creation of the wealth in the first place. Legacies of this sort can strengthen family bonds, make clear a patriarch or matriarch’s visions, or provide the groundwork for the family to give back to society. These legacies are being captured and shared with family members and organizations with profound effect.

 

CAPTURING YOUR LEGACY

Stuart Family Heirlooms

“This gold watch belonged to my Mom. She received it as a gift from my Dad in this leather box on their anniversary. It is something that I have cherished, and I hope that my family does too so that someday it can be passed down to their children.”

Capturing a recorded or written legacy may be one of the most exciting things you can do for your family. Think about the wisdom you can communicate to help future generations deal with the issues of their day. Since we can create documents that can last for more than our lifetimes, doesn’t it make sense for the matriarch or patriarch of the family to capture their Legacy vision so that future generations can benefit? What about the creator of a business who has spent their whole life building something that has provided for their family? In my opinion, those entrepreneurs want to tell their stories, partly to say “Yes, I’ve been lucky enough to build this business,” but also to give guidance to those who will continue the business, to avoid pitfalls, and make better decisions. What about communicating the Legacy to children who are too young to appreciate the wealth being passed or the business being transferred to give them a better understanding as they mature?

Capturing Your Ultimate Legacy is a wonderful way to remember someone’s life, their achievements, their life lessons, and their desire to help others and give back to the community. Being able to celebrate one’s life or contributions can help make a difference in so many people’s lives, including the story teller and the interviewer. I get so much out of the Ultimate Legacy Conversations℠ we have with clients — because we get to know them on a deeper, more intentional level. The clients and I feel we are truly making a difference in their lives and the lives of their children and co-workers. We’d like to get to know your stories and help you get started creating Your Ultimate Legacy.