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An ethical Will (or Legacy Love Letter) is a personal document you create to communicate your values, experiences, life lessons and family heritage to your family. Unlike a legal Will which focuses on passing along your physical assets, property and items of monetary value, an ethical one serves to share guiding principles, memories, spiritual values, stories of personal faith, family objects with personal (but not necessarily monetary) value and future wishes for your family.
Writing a Legacy Love Letter
Because a Legacy Love Letter is not a legal document, and is not made for the purpose of distributing assets, the content and form of your letter is up to you. Here are four themes you may wish to cover in your Legacy Love Letter:
Beliefs and Values. What do you believe about God? What are your guiding principles when it comes to marriage, raising children, church and ministry, handling money, etc.?
Life Lessons. What were some of the defining moments of your life, and what did you learn from them? What experiences and people are you most grateful for? Think of significant events, moments and experiences in your life. What would you like them to know about your hopes for their futures?
Personal Feelings. How can you communicate love to them? In other words, how have they impacted your life in a positive way? Is there anyone you owe an apology or confession you’ve never been able to communicate? An ethical Will can be a powerful place to share these feelings.
Message of Hope. What are some of the most meaningful passages of Scripture to you? What message of hope and encouragement do you wish to leave to your family and friends?