Friday, February 12, 2010

Make Your Memoirs a Part of Your Legacy

As members of a melting-pot nation, Americans place a high value on family stories and history.  We love to know when and why our ancestors came to this country from “the home land”; but we also enjoy the simple stories about how mom and dad met, or how grandpa served in the military.  These stories help us define who we are and where we came from—they give us a sense of belonging.

But the sad fact is that most of us don’t think about asking our parents or grandparents about their stories and histories until it’s too late. All too often it’s after grandma passes away and you’re going through her belongings that you find old books, photos or letters and wish you could ask about them.

This is part of the reason why writing memoirs, or a family history, has become so popular in recent years. Although the thought of “writing your memoirs” may seem daunting, it doesn’t have to be difficult.  In fact, it has become so popular that there are quite a few books and tools out there to help guide you through either writing your own history or interviewing older relatives to record theirs.

Nothing seems more natural than including your memoirs as part of your estate plan. When you create an Estate Plan you plan to pass on your estate (property, assets, and wealth) to your loved ones; but that is only part of what you’ll want to pass along.  An Estate Plan can also include your history and experience as part of that wonderful inheritance.  Our firm can help take care of your assets, but only you can preserve the wisdom and experience that makes your history so unique. Don’t wait until it’s too late.