Wish you could learn who your
ancestors actually were, beyond just the facts? You can ensure your
descendants know a whole lot more about you — if you join the growing
number of Americans who are creating ethical wills.
will is a letter or statement about your values or what has meaning in
your life,” says Donna Gold, a personal historian who conducts
workshops on how to prepare such documents.
Also known as a
legacy letter or life letter, an ethical will leaves your heirs more
than just money or property. You can use it to share family stories or
words of wisdom, to explain why you left the good china to your
daughter and the Matchbox car collection to your third cousin, or to
tell your children or grandchildren what you couldn't — or didn't want
to — while you were alive.