Michael Johnson had a unique obsession: car keys and key fobs. His passion ran deep and so did his collection. After he passed away, Michael’s parents planned to keep the treasures that brought him so much joy. Then three years—to the day!—after his death, his mom saw a Facebook post from a neighbor looking to fulfill her son’s birthday wish for—you guessed it—car keys and key fobs. Their next step abundantly clear, the Johnsons passed on Michael’s legacy of love to a child who would cherish it just as much.*
When it comes to your legacy and creating a will, it’s common to think you don’t have anything significant to give to your loved ones. The reality is you do hold the keys to unlock meaningful gifts and your will is one of the best ways to share them.
Those gifts include:
- The gift of clarity. Having a will in place means your family won’t have to guess at (or worse, disagree about) your wishes after you’re gone. Instead, they’ll have clear direction about your desires, from how you’d like your assets distributed (no matter how big or small they are) to naming a guardian for your minor children.
- The gift of simplicity. In addition to providing clear instructions, a will maintains that information in one central location. Your up-to-date will means loved ones will quickly and easily find what they need and know their next steps. The gift of love. Author Madeleine L’Engle once wrote,
“Honor your own stories and tell them too. The tales may not seem very important, but they are what binds families and makes each of us who we are.” Your will is an opportunity to tell those stories, along with the values that have shaped your life. It’s a precious treasure! And when you make a gift in your will to organizations you care about, you share that legacy of love with your family and the people who will be impacted by your gift. These gifts are for you too, so don’t miss out.
Create or update your will today.
*Take a moment to watch the Johnson’s story. Be sure to have a tissue handy!