I think about legacy.<\/p>\n
Retirement feels a little closer than it once did, and with my daughter beginning her second year of college, I am reminded of just how quickly life moves.<\/p>\n
I find myself asking: What am I leaving behind? What do I want to continue after I am gone? And how can the things that have mattered to me continue to matter to the people I love?<\/p>\n
I have kept a personal planner since 2020. It is filled with far more than appointments. I write down dreams, prayers, adventures, hopes and wishes for the people in my life. I am now on my seventh year, and I tell my daughter often that someday these books will be hers.<\/p>\n
It may seem like a small thing, but to me, it is legacy. I want her to know me \u2014 not just as her mother, but as a woman who dreamed, prayed, loved deeply and believed in the people around her. I want her to know what I hoped for her and for the world she would inherit.<\/p>\n
I think estate planning can be approached in much the same way.<\/p>\n
August is National Make-A-Will Month, making it a natural time to think about the legacy we want to leave. Creating a will is an important way to care for the people and causes that matter to us.<\/p>\n
But legacy planning isn\u2019t simply about what happens after we are gone. It is about intentionally deciding what we want to carry forward.<\/p>\n
At United Way Charlotte County, we see every day how generosity carries hope forward. A family keeps the lights on during a difficult time. A child gets an opportunity they otherwise could not afford. A senior finds connection and support. These moments happen because someone decided that their resources could be used to make someone else\u2019s life a little better.<\/p>\n
A legacy gift allows that generosity to continue.<\/p>\n
It might be a gift through your will, a beneficiary designation on a retirement account or life insurance policy, or another planned gift that reflects your financial goals and personal values.<\/p>\n
It doesn\u2019t have to be complicated, and it isn\u2019t only for people of great wealth. It is simply one way of being intentional about what we want to leave behind.<\/p>\n
And I believe we have an opportunity to leave more than memories behind. We can leave hope, opportunity, and a stronger community for the people who come after us.<\/p>\n
As I think about my own legacy, I find myself asking a question that feels bigger than, \u201cWhat will I leave behind?\u201d<\/p>\n
I ask, \u201cWhat do I want to live on?\u201d<\/p>\n
The answer includes a community where people look out for one another. Where children have opportunities to succeed. Where families have a chance to become financially stable. Where our neighbors know they are not alone.<\/p>\n
This August, I encourage you to think about your own legacy. Talk with your family, financial advisor or attorney about your options \u2014 and consider including a local nonprofit in your plans.<\/p>\n
I hope you will consider United Way Charlotte County. Whether through a gift today, ongoing support or a planned gift, your generosity can create hope and opportunity for generations to come.<\/p>\n
Your legacy is more than what you leave behind.<\/p>\n
It is what you leave living.<\/p>\n
Together, we can build a stronger Charlotte County \u2014 and leave a legacy of hope that continues long after us.<\/p>\n
To learn more, contact United Way Charlotte County at www.unitedwayccfl.org\/WaystoGive<\/a>.<\/p>\n