In this blog article, you'll discover practical ways to capture family stories during your holiday gathering, learn how to start meaningful legacy conversations without awkwardness and understand how to transform these precious moments into a comprehensive Life & Legacy Plan that protects your family's values and assets for generations to come. This year, consider using your Thanksgiving gathering as a springboard for the meaningful conversations that can shape your family's future.

THE HEART OF LEGACY PLANNING: MORE THAN JUST MONEY

When most people think about legacy planning, they often focus solely on financial assets. But true legacy planning encompasses much more. It's about preserving your family's stories, values, traditions, and the wisdom gained through generations. After working with families to support them with their estate planning and being there at the end of life, I’ve learned that these are the things that matter most. Values, insights, stories, and experiences, plus sentimental items, are almost always more important to families than financial assets, though, of course, money matters as well. 

What will happen when you are gone? How will your loved ones be cared for? What legacy will you leave behind?

This season offers a rare opportunity to bring love, not fear, into these important conversations. In this article, you will learn how to shift your mindset about death and money, how to open heartfelt conversations with your family, and how to turn those talks into meaningful action with a Life & Legacy Plan.

SHIFTING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT DEATH AND MONEY

Most people put off estate planning because they don’t want to face their mortality, or they think of death as something that won’t happen anytime soon. Money is also too often a taboo subject in our culture. It’s no wonder, then, that 55% of Americans don’t have an estate plan. And this number doesn’t account for those who have an outdated plan that no longer works, so the actual number is much lower.

But what if we flipped the script when we think of death and money? What if death and money weren’t topics to be avoided, but to be embraced? Death is a natural part of life, and planning for what happens to your assets and to your loved ones is an expression of love. Planning ensures everyone you love has clarity and knows exactly what to do when the time comes. Instead of viewing estate planning as preparing for the end, see it as protecting your loved ones’ beginning after you die.

Fret not. While you can’t control how your children feel about your business, there are effective ways to inspire them and help them see the value of being a business owner and carrying on a family legacy. With these strategies, you can empower them to become the next leaders of your family business and set your company up for a smooth succession transition when it's time to retire.

Show Your Kids That You Love What You Do

First things first. It’s hard for someone to take an interest in something if they only hear negative comments about it. Of course, there are going to be many work days that are long, stressful, or tiring, but framing your work as something that gives you a sense of accomplishment rather than fatigue will help pique your children’s interest.

You don’t need to completely hide negative feelings about your work, but keeping a positive attitude about your business when talking about it around your children can go a long way in inspiring them. 

Don’t put off making plans until you are unable to assert your wishes. Including health care documents in your estate plan can ensure your decisions are always your choice, even if you cannot speak for yourself.

Health care documents that clearly state your wishes should be included in your comprehensive estate plan. Here are three documents you need to include in your estate plan to ensure your wishes are respected:

Health Care Directive

This document allows you to name a health care agent. This will be the individual whom you grant the authority to make certain decisions on your behalf. A health care agent may also be called a health care surrogate or a personal representative.

In your directive, you can include specific instructions on the health care measures you desire if you are unable to make decisions for yourself. These are life and death decisions; make sure your agent is someone you trust.  Work closely with an estate-planning lawyer to ensure your directive provides clear guidelines for your agent to follow.

Research shows that a majority of wealthy families lose their wealth by the second generation, and by the third generation, the number climbs as high as 90%. That happens not because parents lack concern for their kids, but because key pieces of planning are missing.

Keeping wealth in your family isn’t just about signing legal documents or having a strong investment portfolio. True wealth preservation requires a shift in how you think about inheritance, practical systems that keep your assets accessible, and education that prepares the next generation to be responsible stewards.

In this blog article, you’ll learn three essential elements of building and preserving generational wealth: the mindset shifts that redefine what inheritance really means, the legal and financial strategies that keep assets from slipping through the cracks, and the education process that prepares your children to manage and grow what you’ve worked so hard to build. Most importantly, you’ll see why families who succeed in passing wealth down think differently about what they’re actually leaving behind.