Ethical Wills
Ethical Wills:
Passing on Your
Beliefs, Values,
and Life Experiences
Your Ethical Will:
Leaving Your Legacy, Morals, and Values
“By the time we come to realize that the years ahead are far fewer than the years we have already lived, we confront the discouraging truth that, unless we do something about it, all that hard-won wisdom will disappear with us when we die.”
Essential as wills, trusts, and other legal tools may be in ending well and creating an effective estate plan, these all pale in comparison with the significance of an ethical will.
Similar to the way a Last Will and Testament passes on your money and physical assets, so your Ethical Will is designed to pass your deepest values and beliefs to your loved ones. Because of the emotional, psychological, and spiritual nature of these records, we find that they are the most impactful part of any estate plan – both for the giver and the receiver.
To learn more about Ethical Wills, read some of our articles below.
View Our Collection of Real Ethical Wills:
My Grandmother’s Recipe and Your Ethical Will
Leave it to the holiday season to make us nostalgic and thoughtful. A few weekends ago, Jill (my wife) and I celebrated one of my family’s longtime traditions with our kids – Brunswick stew. When I was growing up, my grandmother held a yearly event where she made a...
Example of An Ethical Will: Peter’s Statement of Faith
Our friend, Peter, is one of the most kind-hearted men you could meet. When we explained the idea of Ethical Wills to him, he was all over it – eager to pass on his love and his beliefs to both his community and his family. After looking at different examples, he...
To Our Sons: Sam and Ellen’s Ethical Will
Our friends, Sam and Ellen, recently finished their estate plan. They have two young boys who are their pride and joy, and they were concerned with making sure they had guardians place for them. After providing for the boys’ physical wellbeing by creating a Will,...
Our Friend, John: An Example Of An Ethical Will
Recently, we had a chance to meet a special man named John. He attended a speaking engagement where we discussed Relational Estate Planning and the value of Ethical Wills, and afterward told us that these ideas resonate deeply with him. He has already put together...
Your Ethical Will: The Most Important Document in A Relational Estate Plan
“By the time we come to realize that the years ahead are far fewer than the years we have already lived, we confront the discouraging truth that, unless we do something about it, all that hard-won wisdom will disappear with us when we die.” -Rabbi Harold S. Kushner,...