Call for Mental Health Services
At Hanna Center, we help people at all stages of their lives: From providing maternal mental health care to new moms to helping youth move through the challenges of adolescence and early adulthood, and providing senior-specific services and grief counseling, our team has generations of insight.
Working compassionately through cycles of trauma and grief together has taught us that one of the best gifts we can give our loved ones is a plan. While grief is never easy, we do have the power to lessen the impact of loss in advance by creating a will. Wills minimize the interpersonal trauma that occurs in the wake of grief while ensuring our legacies pass seamlessly to those we love.
One of the most powerful reasons to make a will is the opportunity to include philanthropic giving in your estate plan. By leaving a gift to a charity or nonprofit in your will—a practice known as planned giving or legacy giving—you can make a lasting impact on the causes that are close to your heart. These gifts don’t have to be large to be meaningful. Whether it’s a percentage of your estate, a specific amount, or a particular asset, bequests of all sizes can help fund programs, support communities, and drive change for generations to come.
While estate planning can seem scary–or like something only the aging or ultra-wealthy need to do–creating a will is straightforward and easy. Last month may have been Make-A-Will Month, but it’s an important step you can take any time of year. To help you get started, here are three simple tips:
Where to Start: A Brainstorming Exercise.
Begin by taking stock of what’s around you and the causes that matter most: From mental health, educational, and youth-focused charities to animal welfare organizations, there are myriad outlets for planned philanthropic giving. Simultaneously, it helps to write down a list of sentimental objects, like family heirlooms or keepsakes, and where you envision them ending up.
It’s helpful to remember that without a will, our possessions and financial assets are divided by state or provincial governments—right down to who inherits which family photo or piece of furniture. This can cause unnecessary stress, delays, and even conflict among your loved ones during an already emotional time. By making a will, you’re not just protecting your assets—you’re giving your family clarity, guidance, and peace of mind.
What to Do: Who, What, When.
First, determine your “who,” “what,” and “when”:
Who will execute your will? An executor is responsible for ensuring the requests in each will are carried out, and could be a family member, friend, or legal advisor. You’ll want to choose someone you trust to ensure your wishes are respected, and to minimize potential conflict among family members.
Second, what will be specifically included in the will? Every item of a life doesn’t need to be featured, but it’s a good idea to delineate how important items and valuable assets will be shared, sold, or donated.
Finally, determine when it will be most advantageous to share or donate. In some states and circumstances, there may be tax advantages to donating items or money in advance of a death so it’s best to speak with an expert about planned giving based on where you live.
Discussions on philanthropic giving often concentrate on compelling campaigns, but it’s equally important to make donation decisions based on a nonprofit’s longevity, accountability, and impact metrics. Sustainable institutions share a commitment to longevity, impact measurement, and transparency across their programs. Most institutions share this information directly with the public via annual reports and case studies that detail their impacts in clear, easy to understand language. We recommend researching nonprofits using their websites in tandem with services like Charity Navigator and Guidestar, which rank organizations to help donors make meaningful gifts.
How to Do It:
Once you’ve decided on the people and causes that matter most, it’s time to start writing. From hiring an attorney to using free will-writing software, there are dozens of options for writing your will.
Take the opportunity to reflect on your values, protect your loved ones, and consider how you want to be remembered. Whether you’re writing your first will or updating an old one, it’s one of the most important gifts you can give—to your family, your future, and the world you leave behind.