Our Weekly Tip: Writing an Ethical Will or Heart Will

Credit: drweil.com

Our Tip of the Week:  A testamentary will — the type of will with which most people are familiar — is a legal document clarifying your intentions regarding the distribution of your property and the care of any minor children after your death. An ethical will, on the other hand, is a document addressed to friends and family that, according to Dr. Barry Baines, author of “Ethical Wills: Putting Your Values on Paper,” communicates, “your values, blessings, life’s lessons, and hopes and dreams for the future.” Today it is also called a heart will. Writing an ethical or a heart will can help you identify what matters to you and feel confident that you are leaving behind a record of your ethical and spiritual values for future generations. In clarifying for yourself what it is you stand for, you have the opportunity to more consciously embody those values during the time you have left.

Credit: Susan B. Turnbull’s “Life Legacy Cards”

How-To Suggestion:  When you sit down to write your will, you might find it helpful to read examples of these wills other people have written. There are a number of resources available to help you through the process, including Dr. Baines’ two books, “Ethical Wills/Legacy Letters Workbook” and “Ethical Wills: Putting Your Values on Paper.”  Additionally there are tools to aid your thoughts, a set of cards and a workbook “The Wealth of Your Life: A Step-by-Step Guide for Creating Your Ethical Will.” Some questions you might ask yourself as you prepare to write are:

1)  What values are particularly important to you?

2)  What, if any, are your spiritual beliefs?

3)  What are your hopes for future generations that will come after you?

4)  What are some of the important lessons you’ve learned during your lifetime?

5)  Are there any particular events that had a strong hand in shaping the person you are today?