Pandemic Anxiety Motivates Estate Planning
Just as travel out of the country is often the impetus to get our plans in order, so apparently is a pandemic.
Estate Planning attorneys on our Professional Advisor Council are in high demand and are busier than ever. As many of us have sheltered at home this Spring, we have the time, and as the daily statistics on the news add up, a grim reminder to call our attorney. Throughout northern Nevada, and I expect throughout the world, anxiety resulting from the pandemic has motivated people to update or create their Wills and Trusts. More than 100 families have entrusted the Community Foundation of Western Nevada to administer their charitable bequest arrangements during our 22 years. Today we are working with several more families, and their advisors, to put their arrangements in place.
Advisors and families look to the Community Foundation as a partner for the charitable aspects of estate planning for several reasons:
- We are experienced. Our expertise covers charitable bequest planning and administering charitable bequests. We can accept all types of assets as charitable bequests including real property, personal property, closely-held stock, and ownership in corporations.
- By working with the Community Foundation, a charitable bequest can be distributed to the nonprofits you name over a period of years. If you regularly support a favorite charity or cause, we can make a plan that will continue your regular support forever, if you like.
- Your charitable plans can involve your investment advisor and engage the members of your family in your charitable passions.
- Your bequest can be targeted to meet specific needs or a cause, and the Community Foundation will find the organizations working to meet those needs. It can be designed to achieve specific outcomes, such as measurable improvements in an area of concern to the donor.
- Every gift plan reflects your personal legacy goals, your passion, and values.
It does not take a crisis to decide to get your estate plans in order, and it does not need to be rushed.
Ideally, it is done thoughtfully, and well, and is a document you do not need to revisit for years. Revisions are one more reason that donors and their advisors choose to make their bequest and charitable plans with the Community Foundation. When a bequest is arranged with the Community Foundation, the donor can change the bequest distributions without having the expense of revising their Will or Trust. Donors find the excellent gift planning resources on our website helpful to begin planning from home, comfortably, and confidentially. Please download our Wills Guide and use it to start your process. A simple call to the Community Foundation expert staff can help you put your plans and goals in writing.
Health professionals say taking positive action can help relieve the anxiety we face and give us confidence in the future.
Whether the action you take is visiting our website, nevadafund.org, bringing up the subject with your family, calling your advisor, or calling me, it will be a positive step. One of the many productive steps you can take now that I hope will ease worry, leaving space for you to focus on your life’s purpose and joys. Chris Askin, President, and CEO 775-333-5499