For many, after coming to grips with your own mortality the next hardest part to planning is deciding who gets what and the naming game. Trust me, I get it. It is hard enough to think about not being here and now you must think about who inherits all the wealth and possessions you have accumulated over the years in addition to naming guardians, agents, trustees, and personal representatives for your most precious assets…oh my.  This is enough to make anybody put off planning until the last minute…right?

Wrong…sure this may seem overwhelming, but I encourage you to try to find peace in organizing your affairs. Think about your values and your family values in accumulating your wealth and possessions. What values do you want to pass on to your loved ones in your gifting? What impact would you like to have on your community, your church or non-profits? Who would be best suited to carry out your Will, manage your affairs and raise your children in the way they should go?

Whether on purpose or not, you are sending a message to those left behind through your planning or lacked thereof. A well-organized plan may suggest that you care about what happens when you are gone and how you would like your wealth, possessions and loved ones treated. 

On the other hand, no planning may send the opposite message. I’m gone now. You do what’s best. Oftentimes, leaving it up to those left behind to figure it out can be a nightmare. Now everybody, including the court is suddenly an expert on what’s best for your loved ones and the distribution of your stuff which may be a far cry from what you had intended. Too often, family wealth is lost unnecessarily between death and distributions to heirs.

Instead of being frozen in place, the best course of action after coming to terms with death is to make a decision and decide. And if you need a larger pool of potential heirs, guardians and agents, get to know your family and friends better and expand your network if necessary. Don’t rule out having a financial institution manage your affairs if it makes sense. Also, consider where you are currently giving and identify other areas of interest. Don’t let indecision stop you. We all have a date with destiny and can’t take it with us. So let’s welcome our date with a well-planned estate.