A 108-Year legacy – Wow.

The Cubs win! The Cubs win! In what will likely be described for years to come as one of the greatest baseball games and series of all-time, the Chicago Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians to end a 108-year World Series Championship-free era for the Cubs. While the Indians aren’t far behind now in their streak, the Cubs have long been known to be cursed, the punch line of countless jokes. Can you imagine the relief that franchise must feel? A legacy changed forever.

What better reminder to consider your own legacy? How will you be thought of by future generations? Have you given it much consideration? Does it really even matter? Ah, some of life’s big questions. 

Our estate planning attorney and friend, Richard Chamberlain, shared some compelling thoughts with me when I asked him how he helps clients consider their legacy during the estate planning process. Richard shared: 

“Your legacy is so much more than the assets you have accumulated in your lifetime. It is your history, your traditions, and your beliefs and values.

Your legacy is not what you have, it is who you are.

Your estate plan (your Will or Trust) is the collection of legal documents in which you pass on to your loved ones what you want them to have. A legacy plan is your opportunity to pass on to your loved ones what you want them to know.

For many people the desire to leave a legacy for their loved ones is a driving force behind their estate planning. They desire to know that even after they’re gone, who they were and what they stood for in their lives will live on in their children and grandchildren.”

How great is that? As I consider that in the context of the retirement planning work that we do, much of the emphasis of retirement planning is on planning for something. We work with you to establish goals, clarify objectives, concerns, approaches, all of which are forward-looking in nature. Wouldn’t it be prudent to consider what plans you should make, considering the future impact resulting from those decisions?

The Chicago Cubs can now look ahead without constantly looking back, at least not in a negative way. By having done the work necessary to alter their legacy for the better, they’re freer to enjoy each step forward. I think it would be really amazing for you to consider how you might do some ‘from’ planning – looking back – to complement the ‘for’ planning that has you looking ahead.

It’s amazing to consider all that’s happened in the 108 years since the Cubs last won a World Series. Imagine the number of truly meaningful events that you’ve experienced that future generations would love to hear about. It’s up to you to embark on true legacy planning. It may not be for everybody, but for those who choose to be remembered for more than just financial assets, a legacy may be an incredibly valuable gift to leave those who may not ever have known your story unless you choose to tell it.

If you’d like to learn more about this legacy planning process, reply to this email, or reach out to Richard Chamberlain of Chamberlain Law Group. He can be reached at 419.872.7670 or Richard@Chamberlain-Law.Net

All the best,

Adam Cufr, RICP®