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Is Your Will Up-to-Date?
The second week of February was the second annual "Make a Will Week," which was sponsored locally by the Napa County chapter of Leave a Legacy, a national public awareness campaign to encourage Americans to prepare a will and to remember nonprofit organizations and charities in their wills and estate plans.
As a part of "Make a Will Week," events and activities were held at libraries, churches, community centers, and other sites. Financial advisors, attorneys, and other estate planning professionals were on hand to duscuss how people can provide for their loved ones as well as make lasting contributions to their communities through bequests and other forms of estate planning.
But if you missed "Make a Will Week," that doesn't mean it's too late to take steps to make sure your wishes are honored once you're gone. Something like half of all Americans do not even have a will or other estate plan. Many People mistakenly believe that only the rich leave estates large enough to merit a will. Don't make that mistake, however. If you add it all up, including not only cash but all your assets-such as house, your business, perhaps a boat or plane, vacation property, life insurance policies-you'll probably discover that your potential estate is pretty substantial. And if you don't make a will, you'll be asking the State of California to make all the decisions about how that estate will be distributed
So if you need a will, make a date to talk to your attorney about creating one that will best express your wishes for your friends, family, and community. If you do have a will, make sure it's in line with your current thinking about the legacy you wish to leave.
Although most people give to charities during their lifetimes, less than 10 percent of them do so in their wills. Yet even a small bequest can make a big difference to a nonprofit and to the community is serves. A charitable bequest is a great way to leave a legacy that will benefit others in the future. Giving through a will is the simplest way to share a portion of your estate with queen of the valley hospital Foundation or other nonprofit organization whose work you support.
Your attorney is the best source of legal advice, but for confidential, no-obligation information about charitable bequests and other forms of estate planning, call Dick Green or Dave Johnson at the foundation, 257-4044.
