Notes

The Creation Of An Ethical Will
Ethical wills are one of our most powerful tools for passing onto loved ones and generations to come our wishes, memories, traditions and values. Many affluent families are becoming increasingly familiar with the concept of passing on the hopes and instructions to family members in the form of a written document or a video recording as ethical wills.

A few years ago, a movie titled "THE BEST Gift" was predicated on this concept, where James Garner was the character who had passed on, communicated his instructions and requirements on a video tape to the youngest family heir. It had been a very effective tool in the movie and helped make for a very moving story.

In life, we experience many of our joys and cherishes in your memories. Those memories are stored in us so when we pass on, so do our memories to share with our family members. The memories, great experiences and lessons of our past, the things and people we have been so keen on and, within us, carry deep meaning and relevance.

Many times, it could be to our wishes that people shared these things with this loved ones well into future generations. The wonderful times we shared with us members and our friends, the lessons we learned and the things and values that we so dearly hold, we would like to pass onto future generations.

An ethical will is a very useful tool to do this objective. website are not new. They existed even back during the Old Testament biblical times to which it was a tradition to put together loved ones round the bed of a dying relative. However, during this early period, the ethical will was an oral tradition where in fact the dying family member would tell the family members important lessons of life and family stories to carry on in the tradition of these family and future generations.

Nowadays, we utilize ethical wills to spread these things in a kind of a cherished gift to your loved ones. It is just a gift in writing that shares great memories, important lessons, values of the household, wishes to be carried out, and proud traditions to be passed onto the next generation.

Often times, members of families not only have wonderful memories and lessons to pass onto loved ones and future generations, but think it is to be it too late to take action because our lives have come to pass or our health has failed and we have been no longer able to take time to record these lessons and memories.

Writing an ethical will can be an emotional challenge because it acknowledges one's mortality and one's past. But an ethical will is really a document that consists of heart felt words and involves passing on more than material things and money.

Writing an ethical will is not a legal exercise, rather, it is a letter written from the heart sharing your most valued lessons and cherished thoughts. It is a great opportunity to lock in the meaningful reminiscence of the past specific to a particular family member or to all the children.

It should be carefully crafted nonetheless it does not have any specific formula to adhere to. Furthermore, it is recommended that you write one on a designed and protected document to secure the writings, ensure it is more meaningful, and storable for most generations.

Formulating Your Ethical Will

Although there aren't any specific topics relating to an ethical will, here are several recommended steps along with some suggestions about topics to consider writing about within your document.

Suggested Steps:

The specific writing of the ethical will is an emotional deep thinking process. You do not have to complete it in one sitting. In fact, it is sometimes recommend that this is a thing that you revisit during the period of several days. Take time to write it. This can be a very meaningful and intimate document that may last for a number of generations.

First suggestion: Select a quite and private place to commit you to ultimately for an hour or more to begin with your writing journey. A location that is without interruptions, relatively speaking and a place to where you can sustain inner peace and relaxation. It could sound hokey, but it is important to do so for yourself.

Second suggestion: Don't try to rush it. If you need to put it down after a while, that's fine. Give your self time, and additional more, begin with a rough draft.

Third suggestion: Cover numerous areas to record your writings from. Here are some general areas and topics that you may want to consider:

Important Family Members that you experienced and EVERYTHING YOU Remember About Them

* What are the important things you learned from your own grandparents?

* The great things about your parents and the important lesson

* Lessons from your spouse, children and others

Important People Beyond Your Family

* The two or three most influential people throughout your childhood and how were they influential in impacting the individual you are and your values?

* What are the most significant relationships in your life and why?

Important Lessons and Experiences in Your Life you want Them to Know

* What are you grateful for?

* The holiday season you cherish the most and why?

* The important values which were passed onto you by your grand parents and/or parents?

* What are a number of the reasons for having your heritage that define who you are?

* How much of a job does your heritage play that you experienced now?

* Stories and experiences about your home town, and how did it mold the kind of person that you have become?

* What is a significant lesson you learned in your early life and how does it continue to influence your beliefs and values? Who or what taught you these lessons?

* Did you have an experience growing up that was life changing? If so, describe it and explain why it had been significant to you.

* What are your deepest feelings you may have for them and or the household and why?

Important Accomplishments, Ideas, Values, etc.

* What are the things missing that you experienced?

* What are the most important decisions you have made in your life and why?

* What are the best decisions you have made in your life and just why?

* Do you know the worst decisions you have made in your life and just why?

* Define your definition of success?

* In looking to the future, name something you would like to accomplish or happen through the rest of your life.

* What can you feel are a few of the main qualities a person must live a rewarding life?

* What do you feel is really a real measure of success?

* That which was your greatest challenge throughout your life and what did this experience teach you?

* What are the universal principles that hold your family together?

* Describe your proudest moment and how it has affected your life and values.

* What are some of the most significant ideas or lessons you would like to pass on your children, grandchildren or other loved ones.

* What was the single most important experience of your daily life and why was it so vital that you you?

* If you could pick three items that your loved ones should remember about you what should those ideas be and why?

Philosophy on Money and Wealth

* What can you appreciate most about money and just why?

* What do you fear most about money and just why?

* What would you like material gifts to be passed to your heirs to perform for them and why?

* What concerns are you experiencing about the distribution of one's material wealth as part of your legacy and why?

* What are the items that concern you probably the most with transferring your wealth?

* What do you need to achieve before you leave this life?

* What you don't cherish and love about your life?

The start of the will should address who you're writing it to and just why you're writing it to them. A very compelling approach is to express your hopes and desires/wishes for future years.

What is your vision for your family down the road? How can you want them to keep in mind along the way within their lives, things to watch out for, mistakes in order to avoid, how do you want to see them view and approach life.

A good idea would be to cover your notion of what are the important values that you imagine can help them become and continue to be exceptional human beings. Maybe include specific family events or memories. Include thoughts and words that have defined your own life.

Steve Zeller and Trevor Kern, Advisory Services provided by Zeller Kern Wealth Management among the leading Sacramento Financial Advisor firms and a Registered Investment Adviser. Please visit http://www.zellerkern.com or call 916-436-8270 for more tips on preserving family wealth.
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